{"id":71652,"date":"2026-01-15T15:22:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=71652"},"modified":"2026-01-15T15:22:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:22:52","slug":"michigan-approves-electronic-kill-tags-for-hunters-how-will-they-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/outdoors-life\/michigan-approves-electronic-kill-tags-for-hunters-how-will-they-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan approves electronic kill tags for hunters. How will they work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Michigan\u2019s Natural Resources Commission passed an amendment Wednesday to give hunters the option of using electronic kill tags for certain animals<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hunters will be able to use kill tags in the Hunt Fish mobile app for deer, bobcat, bear, fisher, marten and otter starting March 1<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical kill tags will still be available<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting March 1, Michigan hunters will no longer need to display paper kill tags on certain animals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, they\u2019ll be able to validate kills using the Hunt Fish mobile app.<br>The change comes after the Natural Resources Commission on Wednesday approved the optional use of electronic kill tags for deer, bobcat, bear, fisher, marten and otter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been piloting digital kill tags for turkey hunters since fall 2024, but otherwise hunters have needed to use a physical kill tag, which can be picked up at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/dnr\/buy-and-apply\/license-agents\">license agent<\/a> or received through the mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a digital tag option is expected to save the department money by reducing printing and distribution costs. It may also make things more convenient for hunters by allowing them to buy a tag online in the days leading up to a hunt and by making it easier to keep track of their tag once purchased.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the DNR, 27,475 hunters lost their paper licenses and had to purchase another in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>RELATED:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/outdoors-life\/some-michigan-hunters-may-soon-be-able-to-skip-paper-kill-tags\/\"><strong>Some Michigan hunters may soon be able to skip paper kill tags<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/outdoors-life\/it-just-got-easier-to-kill-coyotes-in-michigan-year-round\/\"><strong>It just got easier to kill coyotes in Michigan year-round<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/outdoors-life\/goose-gassing-spearfishing-among-michigan-outdoors-policy-changes-in-2025\/\"><strong>Goose-gassing, spearfishing among Michigan outdoors policy changes in 2025<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>How will this actually work? Read on for questions and answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How will I be able to purchase an electronic kill tag?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you download the Hunt Fish app on your smartphone, you will be able to purchase a tag inside the app.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How will the electronic kill tag actually work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you make a kill, you will open your app and validate the kill by answering a few questions. If you do not have cell service or are unable to connect to WiFi, you can still fill out the information on your phone. Once you get cell service or connect to WiFi, the data will be uploaded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How will conservation officers know that my hunt was legal?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If a conservation officer requests to see your kill tag and you purchased it electronically, you can open the Hunt Fish app to show them the tag. If you have not had cell service or WiFi since the kill, you can still show them the validated kill tag you entered on your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What happens if my phone is dead?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your phone dies, a conservation officer can run your ID to find out if you purchased a tag and what kind of tag it was. If your tag was validated and uploaded via cell service or WiFi before your phone died, the conservation officer will be able to see that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What if I\u2019m not with the carcass?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You may not always be right there with the body of the animal you hunted to present an electronic tag. For example, you may leave it at a buck pole or have a friend drive it for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In instances like those, you will need to make a tag out of durable material with the hunting license number written on it in permanent ink and attach it to the carcass.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are, however, some exceptions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the head is no longer attached to the carcass, then the durable tag only needs to be with the head.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the animal\u2019s remains are stored at your primary residence, you won\u2019t need to worry about having a physical tag for it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the carcass or head is accepted and recorded by a commercial processor or taxidermist, a physical tag no longer needs to be attached to it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What happens if I get my deer tested?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Michigan, deer may be tested for diseases like bovine tuberculosis or chronic wasting disease, especially in counties where the disease is being actively surveilled.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sign up for our outdoors newsletter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Want more coverage like this delivered directly into your inbox? Sign up for the Bridge Michigan Outdoors newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bridgemi.com\/signup\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take your deer head or carcass to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/dnr\/things-to-do\/hunting\/deer\/deer-stations-disease-sample\">disease sample submission site<\/a> for testing and you have an electronic tag, your phone will have the same information that you would have on a paper tag. The station can use that information to process your dropoff. The facility will then tag your deer head or any sample you drop off so that it can be properly tracked during the testing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Won\u2019t it be easier to game the system when seeking an official DNR seal for a bobcat, fisher, marten or otter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you bag a bobcat, fisher, marten or otter, you\u2019ll need to go to a registration station so the DNR can attach an official seal to the pelt of each carcass.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have an electronic kill tag, you\u2019ll need to present it in order to get an official DNR seal. If you use one electronic kill tag to present two different animals to two different stations, the DNR can detect that at the end of the season if officials run a record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What other states have electronic kill tags or something similar?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the DNR, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin also use apps and digital tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can I still use a paper kill tag?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. Electronic kill tags will be optional, not mandatory. You can still purchase a physical kill tag and pick it up at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/dnr\/buy-and-apply\/license-agents\">license agent<\/a> or get it through the mail.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan\u2019s Natural Resources Commission voted Wednesday to give hunters the option to use electronic kill tags. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":71651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-01-15T20:22:51Z","apple_news_api_id":"f28c4673-477c-4c51-bb04-97f5061d9b8d","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-01-15T20:22:51Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A8oxGc0d8TFG7BJf1Bh2bjQ","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2448],"tags":[62],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2473],"class_list":["post-71652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outdoors-life","tag-rural-michigan","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Michigan approves electronic kill tags for hunters. 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Her journalism career took off at WDET, where she produced daily talk shows, created audio vignettes for galleries, anchored the news and hosted podcasts. Known for her sound-rich feature stories, Laura has won several awards and was named the Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter for Radio Broadcasting four times. In 2012, she produced a prototype for a Detroit mobile audio tour as part of a SoundCloud fellowship. Laura\u00a0attended classes at\u00a0the Salt\u00a0Institute for Documentary Studies,\u00a0has a master\u2019s degree in Urban Planning from Wayne State University and a bachelor's in psychology from Lewis &amp; Clark College. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has lived in several places, including West Virginia and Scotland. After moving to Detroit in 2010, Laura chose not to own a car and commuted primarily by bicycle for nearly a decade. 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