# duck hunting public waters



## bigbuck (Mar 17, 2001)

Can you hunt a public lake as long as your 450 feet from a dwelling?


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## Sprig (Jul 18, 2004)

Refer to the Sticky at the top of the page; "Riparian Rights,,,,,,,"


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## bigbuck (Mar 17, 2001)

Don't understand the law. I thought maybe a distance was used. I see people hunting many public lakes where most of the shoreline is privately owned.


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## ahartz (Dec 28, 2000)

read the whole thread to see others respones/....


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## cmcalls (Jan 2, 2011)

I will have to read the sticky also but it has been my understanding that you must have permition from at least one home / land owner on a locked lake.


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## mudplunger (Jan 13, 2006)

cmcalls said:


> I will have to read the sticky also but it has been my understanding that you must have permition from at least one home / land owner on a locked lake.


True.....but if it is only one land owner you must hunt in his "piece of the pie" extending from his property to the bottomlands of the lake.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

bigbuck said:


> Don't understand the law. I thought maybe a distance was used. I see people hunting many public lakes where most of the shoreline is privately owned.


As others have said, read the numerous threads about the Riparian rights issue over the years. But a few general things that may help you:

1) the term "public" lake is misleading. Just because there is a public boat launch on a lake does not make it truly "public". All that means is the public has access for certain things (i.e fishing, boating). a lake which is wholly within state or federal property would be truly "public", and therefore you could hunt basically anywhere on it. 

2) the law makes a clear distinction between property owner rights for fishing and hunting. If the lake has a public launch, the public could legally fish the lake basically anywhere. HOWEVER the law does not give the public that same right for hunting, and gives that authority to the landowners around the lake, who in most cases own the "bottomlands" to the imaginary center point of the water. This goes for whether you are anchored or not while hunting.

3) just because you see others hunting a lake, DO NOT ASSUME they are doing it legally. The number of questions about this subject over the years makes it pretty clear that very few understand the law. 

As we said, this is a very complex issue. But again don't confuse hunting rights with fishing or boating rights, because the law makes a clear distinction between them.


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## bigbuck (Mar 17, 2001)

That is why I asked the question and have read several posts and still do not understand the law. If the state owns 40 acres that put up to the lake do you have to hunt in front of that forty acres. What about Hougton lake most of the shoreline is private, yet people duck hunt it.


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## mudplunger (Jan 13, 2006)

Some lake homeowners don't care, some don't know the law, some accept it as part of the "tradition" of the lake....I don't take a chance because with my luck I'll find the one homeowner who'll call the LEO on me.

Some hunters also have permission already.


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## ducksarge (Jul 3, 2011)

If there is public land frontage you can generally hunt it. Example is Gun Lake. If you hunt in front of the state land you are fine. However, if it is just a boat launch then more than likely you cannot hunt it. Example is Gull Lake. It has a boat launch but you cannot hunt on Gull Lake. If a lake completely surrounded by homes then you usually cannot hunt it. There are of course exceptions. Houghton Lake being a big one. If property owners there pushed the issue then they would probably be able to get duck hunting banned, but it is a tradition there.

Bottom line is do your research on any particular lake you want to hunt. Follow the law and use common sense.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

bigbuck said:


> That is why I asked the question and have read several posts and still do not understand the law. If the state owns 40 acres that put up to the lake do you have to hunt in front of that forty acres. What about Hougton lake most of the shoreline is private, yet people duck hunt it.


Your original question was "can you hunt...", and you are now using Houghton Lake as an example. The only answer is yes you can, until challenged. Houghton lake is one that has been discussed here several times over the years. Per the DNR, technically unless the hunters have permission of the property owner where they are hunting, they are in violation of the law. However, very few if any property owners on Houghton Lake know exactly where the end point of their property is in the bottom of Houghton Lake. And as was said, duck hunting on Houghton Lake has taken place forever...typically the hunters are out far enough where no one complains. Yet they could. 

Now if you had originally asked "is it legal to hunt....", my answer would be not unless you have permission of the property owner(s).


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## Puddler-Hunter (Aug 25, 2010)

bigbuck said:


> That is why I asked the question and have read several posts and still do not understand the law. If the state owns 40 acres that put up to the lake do you have to hunt in front of that forty acres.


 
I hunt a small inland lake a few times a year that has state land on one end and private property on the other end. As long as I'm on the state land side I am very much legal, I just need to be aware of the 450' rule. I even talked with a CO about it when he was making his rounds a handful of yrs. ago just to be sure. There are signs posted where the private property lines are too.


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## ducksarge (Jul 3, 2011)

I also hunt a small lake, about 165 acres, that is 85 percent surrounded by homes, but it does have shoreline that is state game area. I hunt right off the game area and am 450' from any home. There was one year that one of the property owners went around to the boat launch and took down my plate number and called it in that i was hunting the lake. I got a call from the CO that night and he asked me where I was hunting. I told him and he said I was fine.


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

bigbuck said:


> Can you hunt a public lake as long as your 450 feet from a dwelling?



CAN you yes, LEGALLY not exactly.


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## duckhunter382 (Feb 13, 2005)

unless the lake has federal shipping rights you have to either be on public land or have permission. hunting rights are property of land owners fishing rights are property of water. you cant own the water but you can own the land under it. Now there are some lakes that have federal rights and therefore 450 rule is all that is needed. found that one out trying to stop a guy from putting his blind in front of what I thought was a private spot I had permission to hunt. call to dnr opened up lots of nice spots that I have taken advantage of.


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## twoteal (Jul 22, 2001)

Glad I have a house on houghton


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## quick406 (Aug 1, 2007)

twoteal said:


> Glad I have a house on houghton


 
can i have permission to hunt please and Thank you!


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## rentalrider (Aug 8, 2011)

FWIW I hunted Houghton Lake WITH an LEO last year


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

rentalrider said:


> FWIW I hunted Houghton Lake WITH an LEO last year


 Not surprised you were out there with a LEO. I hunted it years ago with several DNR staff, most of whom still do. Again, people do hunt it. As I said before, the question "can I hunt..." and "is it legal..." are two different things entirely.


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## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

The whole riparian rights issue is WAAAAY overblown on the internet where nitpicking and anal analysis of certain rules and regulations are taken to new heights. Most of the people reading his have hunted without issue a number of lakes where by strict definition riparian rights of lot owners extend from their property, yet are so minute they could be measured with a micrometer toward the middle. Just like the Houghton Lake example on this thread, real life experience has taught me riparian rights rarely becomes an issue on decent sized bodies of water. 

What does come into play, very often, even on the great lakes with no riparian rights is the 450 foot rule. Anytime you crowd the distance too close to cottages it opens the door for trouble with nearby property owners. There are a couple places we hunt where no riparian rights exist that my laser range finder from my golf bag is a vital piece of equipment in the blind bag.....


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