Michigan hunters will be able to validate kills using the Hunt Fish mobile app starting March 1, after the state’s Natural Resources Commission approved optional electronic kill tags on Wednesday. The change applies to deer, bobcat, bear, fisher, marten and otter. Hunters who choose the digital tags will no longer need to display paper kill tags on certain animals.
The shift marks a significant modernization of Michigan’s hunting regulations. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been piloting digital kill tags for turkey hunters since fall 2024 and expects the expanded program to save the department money on printing and distribution costs while offering hunters greater convenience.
How electronic kill tags work
Hunters who use an electronic kill tag will open the Hunt Fish app after making a kill to validate it by answering a few questions. If a hunter lacks cell service or WiFi connectivity at that moment, the information can be entered on the phone and uploaded once service is regained.
When a conservation officer requests to see a digital kill tag, the hunter can open the Hunt Fish app to display it. If the data has not yet been uploaded due to lack of connectivity, the hunter can show the officer the information entered on their phone.
If a hunter’s phone battery dies after the kill is validated and uploaded, the information will be recorded in the DNR’s system. A conservation officer can run the hunter’s ID to confirm the tag was purchased and its type.
Special circumstances
Hunters who are not with the carcass when they validate the kill — for instance, if the animal is left at a processing site — must attach a durable tag with the hunting license number written in permanent ink to the carcass. Three exceptions apply: if the animal’s head is no longer attached, the tag only needs to accompany the head; if the remains are stored at the hunter’s primary residence, no physical tag is required; and if a commercial processor or taxidermist accepts and records the animal, the physical tag is no longer necessary.
For animals requiring official DNR seals — bobcat, fisher, marten and otter — hunters must present their electronic kill tag at a registration station to obtain the seal. The DNR can detect if a hunter attempts to use a single electronic tag to register multiple animals by running end-of-season records.
Hunters taking deer for disease testing — for conditions like bovine tuberculosis or chronic wasting disease — can present their electronic kill tag information to a testing facility using their phone. The facility will attach its own tag to track the sample during testing.
Why the change
According to the DNR, 27,475 hunters lost their paper licenses and had to purchase replacements in 2024. The agency expects digital tags to reduce spending on printing and distribution. The mobile app also allows hunters to purchase tags online in the days before a hunt rather than visiting a license agent or waiting for mail delivery.
The DNR has been piloting digital kill tags for turkey hunters since fall 2024.
Broader adoption
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 already use digital tags or similar mobile applications.
Electronic kill tags will be optional. Hunters can continue to purchase and use paper kill tags, which remain available through license agents and by mail.