# more on user license



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

This was posted in today's AntrimReview...

www.antrimreview.net



DNR now requiring public land license
By Linda Gallagher

BELLAIRE - Now that the snow has melted and the air is warming, many of us are looking forward to enjoying spring wildflowers, mushrooms, berry picking and more on the abundant public lands Antrim County is blessed with. 

But first, youd better pick up your license. 

Long a matter of debate and controversy, in a landmark decision late last week, before heading off to spring break Michigans state Legislature approved a proposal requiring all public land users to be in possession of a users permit when not enjoying the sport of hunting or firewood cutting, which already requires documentation. 

The new law, which was initially proposed by independent Sen. Rob U. Blind, takes effect today, April 1, 2010, and is expected to garner the money plagued DNRE approximately $10 million a year-oddly, the same amount the DNR suddenly discovered after announcing they were bankrupt in 2008.

With the majority of public land users expected to be in the woods of northern Michigan in the next few weeks in search of the elusive morel mushroom, a number of regulations to protect the resource, possibly endangered in light of the looming Emerald Ash Borer disaster, have also been implemented.

1. Licenses are only available to Michigan residents; non-residents are prohibited from hunting morels on public land. 

2. Licensed hunters may hunt for black morels on public lands from April 25 until May 5, with a daily possession of one dozen morels. The more common white morel may be gathered from May 1 until June 1, with a possession limit of two dozen per day. 

3. All public land morel mushroom hunters must wear blaze orange any time they are in the woods during the morel season to allow spring turkey hunters to identify them as fungi followers and not wild turkeys.

4. Hunting hours are from 8 a.m. EST - 5 p.m. EST, 6 p.m. on weekends, with no evening hunting, in order to allow the fungi time to disperse their spores in peace.

5. Stepping on any morel mushroom will result in revocation of license. Rules are similar for canines lifting their legs in the wrong places. 

6. Use of TNT or power harvesting tools prohibited. 

7. Although no license is required for anyone under the age of 12, small children must be muzzled and carried when on Michigans public lands.

8. Morels may not be hunted in stores or roadside stands, with the exception of out of state residents, who may purchase an unlimited number of morels from these businesses.

9. Legal license holders may confiscate any morel mushrooms found in the possession of an unlicensed hunter.

10. Anyone found in violation of any of the above listed regulations may face up to the remainder of the morel season in jail, $5000 in fines to be paid to the local Chamber of Commerce, and 500 hours of community service with the countys local Conservation District. 

Similar regulations are being developed for those who enjoy the summer wild berry season, said Blind. 

Everyone should have to ante up and pay their share to keep Michigan going, he said. We have to figure out a way to pay for our schools somehow, and this will help.

Happy April Fools Day!

(Editors Note: Thankfully, although so far its only an April Fools joke, its very possible that in the near future, Michigan may see some sort of public user legislation written into state law books. Would you support users legislation? Let us know!)


----------



## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

:yikes: :lol: :lol: :lol: you had me going!


----------



## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

Before reading more than the first paragraph I scrolled to the bottom to look for "April Fools!!" I saw it...  

Great story though! 

I like the the part "9. Legal license holders may confiscate any morel mushrooms found in the possession of an unlicensed hunter." :lol:


----------



## localyahoo (May 28, 2009)

linda,

don't give them any ideas, good one you had me goin


----------



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

have had people coming into the office all day to ask if it's true...LOL

Got the idea from that thread, so I went to the website and read that...that's where a lot of the "rules" came from, with some additions of my own.

But, like I said, watch out...


----------



## fasthunter (Sep 15, 2006)

Good one Linda. I actually started reading it at first and was getting ticked and then some just seemed to far off of the wall. I had a funny feeling it was a joke part of the way down. Pretty funny....lol! My wife got me real good already today. I forgot it was April fools day and my wife texted me at work. Call me ASAP! I called and she had me going thinking she was pregnant again. I was kind of like. Cool another kid. Then she said April fools. Man I wish I had a pic of the look on my face!:yikes::rant::lol::lol:


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Linda G. said:


> have had people coming into the office all day to ask if it's true...LOL


Yeah, I was hit with this today too cause it was on the radio or something. But all I could say was, you do realize what day this is :lol:


----------



## martin1 (Apr 14, 2010)

lolzz very funny but you did not tell about your experience and yeah what was the end of it???


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

martin1 said:


> lolzz very funny but you did not tell about your experience and yeah what was the end of it???


Check here, not sure what you are asking and to whom but this might help
http://www.michigan.gov/dnre/0,1607,7-269--234005--,00.html


----------



## alexdavid (May 5, 2010)

hi guys,..
i am new in this forum,..
i found that it is very helpful for me because it contains very informative posts and sharing s,..thanks


----------



## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

Just remember to muzzle those kids!


----------



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

My dog will probably get ticketed for sure...LOL


----------

