# Can you hunt in your backyard?



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Not something I would do but was just wondering. I always assumed that you couldn't hunt within subdivisions, however I was reading the through the hunting and trapping guide and saw "safety zones are all areas within 150 yards (450 feet) of an occupied building". Well behind my house there is an oval/rectangle piece of land that is mostly swamps and fields, according to google maps it's 800x500 feet from houses. Does this it is not within a safety zone and therefor open to hunting or would it still be illegal?


----------



## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

As long as you are at least 450 feet from an occupied dwelling and if it's private property you have permission, it would be legal. 

Unless you are in an area with a local hunting control or there is an ordinance that makes discharging a bow or firearm against the law. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Contender (May 18, 2004)

Best to check with your township/city/county. There are many areas in Oakland County that are closed to hunting.


----------



## Jimbo 09 (Jan 28, 2013)

After making sure it is legal it would be a good idea to talk to your neighbors ahead of time to see if they would allow you to track a deer onto their property if need be.


----------



## Jimbo 09 (Jan 28, 2013)

Contender said:


> Best to check with your township/city/county. There are many areas in Oakland County that are closed to hunting.


Be sure to check with the township you are in they should be able tell you what areas don't allow hunting. Just did this with a township in northern Oakland county for duck hunting this year and they even printed out a map out for us.


----------



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Well I went to Charter of Oakland Twp website and the only hunting they talked about were application for antlerless deer in a single park. Didn't say if it was illegal in subdivisions.


----------



## Jimbo 09 (Jan 28, 2013)

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_37141_37701-38890--,00.html

This may help. Scroll down to Oakland township section.


----------



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Jimbo 09 said:


> http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_37141_37701-38890--,00.html
> 
> This may help. Scroll down to Oakland township section.


Haha holy crap I can hunt in back yard! I'm just south of one of the restrictions. That's really funny because I thought for sure you could not. Thanks that list helped a lot.


----------



## Bloodrunner (Feb 3, 2011)

Pretty sure you can be *closer* than 450' from an occupied building as long as you have written permission.

Guess what I am saying is, there is no distance law, if you have permission from neighbors too hunt.

Correct me if this is wrong.


----------



## Bloodrunner (Feb 3, 2011)

Several real nice bucks are killed right behind peoples houses in subdivisions every year and in every State.


----------



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Bloodrunner said:


> Pretty sure you can be *closer* than 450' from an occupied building as long as you have written permission.
> 
> Guess what I am saying is, there is no distance law, if you have permission from neighbors too hunt.
> 
> Correct me if this is wrong.


So my interpretation of this is that I would need permission from everyone that is within 450' of my hunting location. My one neighbor told me to shoot them in the backyard, I shook it off because he was drinking :lol: and cause I thought it was illegal.


----------



## deernutz (Jan 18, 2009)

U can hunt/shoot closer than 450 feet with permission from the homeowner. Looks like you have a new hunting spot. I agree with the post about asking permission ahead of time from neighbors on the possibilty of needing to track


----------



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Here's another question. What about Detroit Edison power lines? Is that public or private? Is it private land considered industrial forest (I'm not even sure what this all means)? They have power lines that runs between my sub and the sub right next to mine and that's where all of the deer are. 

On a side note I'm kicking myself for not knowing the laws. I pulled into my drive way one afternoon early November and a doe was standing in my backyard. I grabbed my bow without an arrow and went back outside. I pointed the bow at the deer and pulled back, she didn't even move! I put the bow down and yelled "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU MOCKING ME!"


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

dte lines are private. they usually have an easment for their lines. kinda like road ways. up to the center line is private property. you can hunt out your kitchen window if you want as long as there is no safety zone being violated or local ordinance.


----------



## Dynrat (Jun 13, 2003)

Jager Pro said:


> Not something I would do but was just wondering. I always assumed that you couldn't hunt within subdivisions, however I was reading the through the hunting and trapping guide and saw "safety zones are all areas within 150 yards (450 feet) of an occupied building". Well behind my house there is an oval/rectangle piece of land that is mostly swamps and fields, according to google maps it's 800x500 feet from houses. Does this it is not within a safety zone and therefor open to hunting or would it still be illegal?


I see you're in Oakland County. All I can say is be careful and do your homework. There are areas of Oakland County with local "no hunting" ordinances. I know in some areas in addition to the state laws they also have local ordinances that the parcel of land used for hunting must be of a minimum size/acreage.


----------



## TJD (Jan 29, 2006)

Ive bowhunted inside city limits for several years. Before QDM became popular, the city hunting gave me my best shot at shooting big older bucks. No gun hunting allowed meant there were always quite a few bucks that survived to grow larger. I really dont care much for the sounds and people/dogs wrecking my hunts, but I have killed some nice bucks there and its been nice to bowhunt there from Nov 15 on with deer still moving naturally. Its usually easy to find funnels and pinch points too. Bring a rangefinder to be sure you are outside 450ft from houses. 

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

You can hunt within the 450 foot distance as long as you have written permission from all property owners within that area. 

Check for local Hunting Controls and local ordinances that may impact discharging a bow or a firearm in the area. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## MillDoo (May 28, 2004)

I live in Clinton Twp and my house backs up to a open field and behind that a small maybe 100 yards of hardwoods that ends at a branch of the Clinton River. Funny thing is I drive 3.5 hours up north and see nothing and come home and their 60 yards away in the field eating away. I know their laughing at me knowing their safe.

I believe all of Clinton Twp is closed to hunting. With that said I don't know if I would hunt those animals anyway, seems like it would be too easy.


----------



## P.R.S.F. (Jul 2, 2008)

I usually hunt right out the kitchen window.


----------



## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

P.R.S.F. said:


> I usually hunt right out the kitchen window.


Some blinds are better equipped than others!


----------



## hartman756 (Nov 21, 2008)

P.R.S.F. said:


> I usually hunt right out the kitchen window.



Is this legal?


----------



## Jimbo 09 (Jan 28, 2013)

hartman756 said:


> Is this legal?


I believe it is, as long as you are more than 450 feet from another occupied dwelling or have permission from them.


----------



## Bloodrunner (Feb 3, 2011)

hartman756 said:


> Is this legal?


Yep, you can be drinking your morning coffee and reading the newspaper, in your pajamas while deer hunting. People do it all the time:lol:


----------



## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

hartman756 said:


> Is this legal?


yep. you can use the upstairs window too if u want. 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## hartman756 (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks for the replies! This topic came up recently and I was not sure if it was legal or not.:coolgleam


----------



## Contender (May 18, 2004)

P.R.S.F. said:


> I usually hunt right out the kitchen window.


Nothing to do with subdivision hunting.....

This reply reminded me of a friend wtih hunting property and cabin in Nisula. Cabin sits on a very large parcel, with an orchard for the back yard, that backs up to mixed woods & beaver ponds. It has a working farm field across the road. No neighboring houses.

During "deer camp" they draw straws to see who gets to hunt out of the upstairs "dorm" room over looking the orchard and who gets to hunt the barn loft across the road.

The rest have to hunt the other blinds.


----------



## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Bloodrunner said:


> Yep, you can be drinking your morning coffee and reading the newspaper, in your pajamas while deer hunting. People do it all the time:lol:





wild bill said:


> yep. you can use the upstairs window too if u want.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Ohub Campfire mobile app





Contender said:


> Nothing to do with subdivision hunting.....
> 
> This reply reminded me of a friend wtih hunting property and cabin in Nisula. Cabin sits on a very large parcel, with an orchard for the back yard, that backs up to mixed woods & beaver ponds. It has a working farm field across the road. No neighboring houses.
> 
> ...


For the record, even in your house, kitchen window, porch, garage or whatever...by the book you still need to have orange on during the firearm deer hunt. Orange bathrobe or skivies will probably do. :lol: Then when you're dressed, for posterity's sake, slip an orange hat or vest on to retrieve your game.


----------



## Bloodrunner (Feb 3, 2011)

I could shoot deer out of my house pretty much every day, major runway thru back and side of property. If I throw food out, I will have over a dozen of them buggin the hell out of me wanting more food. 

The neighborhood women all ask me to kill all of them, cause they eat all their flowers and shrubs.:lol: 

I live in the woods and don't mess with flower beds and expensive shrubs, so the deer don't bother me.

I could probably get these deer to eat out of my hand, so I don't have the heart too kill any of them, much too easy.


----------



## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

yep once the raised platform law changed for firearm season...shooting from a building became legal...long as no safety zones are infringed on and all other laws are followed 

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_988 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

Hmm


----------



## Apple Knocker (Feb 7, 2009)

Some years back, it was a particularly nasty morning, cold, hard blowing rain. My wife decided to stay in. From our rear slider/deck area, the view is the back of the orchard, and the path down to the river. She looked out and saw a nice wide 6 pt. standing on the path, maybe 40 yds. behind the house. Still in pajamas and robe (oh-oh, no blaze orange), chambered a shell, eased the slider open and dropped him. Been a joke around our house, talking about the "Pajama Buck"


----------



## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I have seen two nice bears outside of the back door in 7 years but no deer yet. I live inside of the city limits so no hunting but I do not have to go too far to have quality hunting.


----------



## shoelessjoe (Dec 13, 2012)

I have certainly done it and with huge success, but like so many others on here have stated check your local ordinances because even if you have written permission or its outside the numbers it may still be illegal. Pull in the bird feeders also, because if bait is illegal in your area you will get a ticket for hunting over bait. Ive hunted a few times from the house (who said you can't shoot one from the couch) but I was sick at the time with the flu. Nothing is better than getting out in the field for the hunt IMO, its what its all about.


----------



## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

I refer to this kind of hunting as grocery shopping.


----------



## shoelessjoe (Dec 13, 2012)

Craig M said:


> I refer to this kind of hunting as grocery shopping.


Its all grocery shopping IMO, that's why I hunt. I'm a meat hunter first and foremost, sometimes my meat has antlers, and sometimes they are very nice antlers. Yep its grocery shopping but not at bargain prices either, can't use coupons. LOL! Have you ever attempted to figured out what price you've paid per pound when you factor in every penny that you've donated to the cause for the an entire season, you had better love it (hunting)? I started to one season and quit about half way thru stating "Forget this" I don't want to know. LOL!


----------



## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Gotta say the results of this thread have really surprised me.


----------



## Sammy Bono (Nov 21, 2012)

So if my township is not on that list I can hunt it? Just kidding I will just continue to feed these nice 10 points as long as I live here. I would be sad if I saw one get hit by a car I am not going to lie.


----------



## shoelessjoe (Dec 13, 2012)

Bloodrunner said:


> Pretty sure you can be *closer* than 450' from an occupied building as long as you have written permission.
> 
> Guess what I am saying is, there is no distance law, if you have permission from neighbors too hunt.
> 
> Correct me if this is wrong.


As long as local ordinances allow the discharge of bows and or firearms as mentioned earlier. My place down state I had a 9.97 acre backyard. The houses were well inside the proximity (200') but I had permission. Everybody's land went straight back in a long rectangle. The only time I hunted or discharged a firearm was at those woodchuck rascals that were nesting next to our houses. I have shot a nice 8 point right in the backyard area, but I was in a tree stand just in the wooded area. Get permission if it is close, and also as stated earlier to track and recover you game.


----------



## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

shoelessjoe said:


> Its all grocery shopping IMO, that's why I hunt. I'm a meat hunter first and foremost, sometimes my meat has antlers, and sometimes they are very nice antlers. Yep its grocery shopping but not at bargain prices either, can't use coupons. LOL! Have you ever attempted to figured out what price you've paid per pound when you factor in every penny that you've donated to the cause for the an entire season, you had better love it (hunting)? I started to one season and quit about half way thru stating "Forget this" I don't want to know. LOL!


 I could not agree more!:lol: I bet I've spent 500 bucks between gas, bait, target practice, trips to Jay's, food, beer, for about 35 lbs. of venison this year! The worst thing is I'm still trying to fill an antlerless tag!:lol::lol:


----------



## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

dead short said:


> As long as you are at least 450 feet from an occupied dwelling and if it's private property you have permission, it would be legal.
> 
> Unless you are in an area with a local hunting control or there is an ordinance that makes discharging a bow or firearm against the law.
> 
> ...


 dead short, Is this written permission or just verbal permission?


----------

