# Notice - Cenetrfire Rifles After Sunset!



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

As of the NRC Meeting yesterday and today, the law went back into effect that a centerfire rifle may *NOT* be used after sunset for hunting. Doesn't matter if you are using a light or not, no centerfire rifles anywhere in the state.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

Actual ammended law;

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ORDER

Amendment No. 19 of 2004

Under the authority of sections 40107 and 40113a, Act No. 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, as amended, being sections 324.40107 and 324.40113a of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Natural Resources Commission and the Director of the Department of Natural Resources ordered that effective 
December 10, 2004, the following sections of the Wildlife Conservation Order shall read as follows: 

2.5 Hunting hours, exceptions; prohibited activities.
Sec. 2.5. (1) Except for the trapping of animals and as otherwise specified in this section, the hunting hours shall substantially conform to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset and shall be those starting times and ending times published in the Michigan hunting and trapping guide or in the respective state hunting guide for that animal. 
(2) In addition to the daylight hunting hours specified in subsection (1) and during those dates specified for the use of artificial lights in sections 2.4 and 3.605, a person traveling afoot at night and in possession of only a bow and arrow, a rimfire firearm .22 caliber or smaller or shotgun with loads other than buckshot, slug or cut shell may take within their specified open seasons raccoon, opossum, and fox with the aid of dogs; and fox and coyote, during the season open to the taking of fox, with the aid of a game or predator call. A person hunting these species during the nighttime hunting hours shall not possess a loaded firearm or bow with a nocked arrow except when 1 or more of the following conditions apply, or as otherwise provided by law:
(a) The person is following dogs and is at the point of kill for taking a treed raccoon during the open season for taking raccoon by hunting.
(b) The person is following dogs and is at the point of kill for taking opossum during the open season for taking opossum by hunting.
(c) The person is taking coyote or fox with the aid of a game or predator call during the open season for taking fox by hunting.


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## wmduckman (Jan 25, 2003)

> As of the NRC Meeting yesterday and today, the law went back into effect that a centerfire rifle may NOT be used after sunset for hunting. Doesn't matter if you are using a light or not, no centerfire rifles anywhere in the state.


You all know how to take all the fun out of things.


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

More crippled coyotes, to save a deer from being poached.

My 2 cents.

Skinner 2


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## Cobra (Jan 19, 2000)

Intended to give it a hard try, have had them hang up outside of shotgun/rimfire range and rarely use a light. Really can understand the thinking and have no problem with the change. ~~ Had a medium sized domestic dog run across a field today, 100yds behind was a big coyote catching it rapidly. Shortly after the dog made it into the woods on anothers property there was alot of barking, growling and yapping. I wonder what the outcome was. Many barn cats are MIA, see tracks in the barnyard consistantly.


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## Michigan Birdhunter (Nov 5, 2003)

I'm confused. My hunting and trapping guide for 2004 already says you can't use a centerfire at night unless I missed something somewhere. It say .22 cal. rimfire or smaller. Where did I go wrong?


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## DanMichTrapper (Feb 24, 2003)

I'm with you birdhunter , I thought it was already illeagle . Maybe I missed out on using my .223 at night and didn't even know it .


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

You guys did miss out. The law only included centerifre and lights. If no light was used then a centerfire could be used. This pretty much left snow and full moons to hunt at night using a centerfire.

Skinner 2


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## DanMichTrapper (Feb 24, 2003)

Guess that kinda left out the whole " *be sure of your target before pointing a gun at it * " . Guess maybe its good they did away with it .


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

Actually Dan with a scoped rifle, snow and full moon A coyote can be IDed a very long way in a cut bean or corn field. Most can alway be IDed without a scope. I always hunted the open field on these nights. NEVER had a problem to ID a animal under these conditions.

Skinner 2


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## Tecumseh (Aug 13, 2004)

I missed out. We were planning on calling in some yotes at a buddy's farm over Xmas vacation and use our little centerfires. I guess we will have to be content with bird hunting. Thanks a ton for the post as I would not have found the update between now and next week.


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## RyGizzy (Dec 2, 2004)

There are no if and or buts it is illegal to hunt at night with a centerfire rifle. If you need to confrim this go to the Dnr web site and look it up yourself.

www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10880_10996-31621--,00.html

There is a little blue link at towards the top of the page called ask DNR you can write to them and ask them. Also, there are questions that are already answered. Give it a look.


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

Rygrizzy,
I think you missed out they were legal until the NRC meeting this past weekend. There was a loophole that allowed the rifles uwhne used without a light. Now that loophole was closed.

Skinner 2


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