Seney National Wildlife Refuge

• Daylight use only.
• Pets allowed on a leash.
• State of Michigan concealed carry permits are not valid in Federal buildings.
• The following are prohibited:
  • Drones.
  • Camping and overnight parking.
  • Off-road vehicles including snow mobiles.
  • Recreational trapping and fur harvesting.
  • Fires.
  • Boats, canoes or other flotation devices on refuge pools.
  • Feeding the wildlife - for their safety and yours.

• Daylight use only.
• Pets allowed on a leash (pets are not allowed in the Federally Endangered Piping Plover Nesting Area).
• The following are prohibited:
  • Drones.
  • Camping and overnight parking.
  • Off-road vehicles including snow mobiles.
  • Recreational trapping and fur harvesting.
  • Hunting.
  • Fires.
  • Rock and driftwood collection.
  • Boats, canoes or other flotation devices on refuge pools or ditches.
  • Feeding the wildlife - for their safety and yours.
• Hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife observation, and photography.

Visitors may gather wild edibles, pine boughs, white-tailed deer antlers and seeds with the following stipulations.

• Plant products and shed antlers are for personal use only and cannot be sold or traded.
• Harvesting of threatened, endangered or invasive species invasive species
  An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
  
  Learn more about invasive species is prohibited.
• Digging up plants is prohibited.
• Damaging other vegetation while harvesting is prohibited.
• Planting or cultivating plants for harvest is prohibited.
• Use of trained animals, other than leashed dogs, to assist in shed or mushroom hunting is not permitted.
• Evergreen boughs must be harvested within 50 feet of a road. Trees must be 15 feet tall and harvested within 6 feet of the ground. Hand saws or loppers permitted. Powered cutting tools are prohibited. Cut boughs at trunk.
• Antlers must be natural sheds, the removal of antlers that have been sawed or still attached to a skull is prohibited.
• The collection of evergreen boughs and antler sheds on the Whitefish Point Unit are prohibited.
• Other than pine boughs, cutting live plants for decorative purposes is prohibited.

Harvest Limits

• Seeds and leaves - 1 cup (8oz) combined total per day per person.
• Pine cones - 1 gallon per day per person.
• Mushrooms and wild berries - 5 pounds per day per person. Only 50% of an individual chaga, that can be reached from the ground, can be harvested.
• Evergreen boughs - 2 – 50 gallon bags (the boughs may stick out of the bag) per person per day from September to April.
• Antlers - 2 antlers per person per day.

Not all areas of the refuge are open for hunting. Please refer to the hunting map for hunting zones.

Special Conditions

• Baiting and artificial lures are prohibited for all species.
• The possession of bait is prohibited on the refuge.
• Only non-toxic shot may be used for hunting ruffed grouse, American woodcock, Wilson's snipe and snowshoe hare.
• Dogs may be used to hunt Wilson's snipe, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse and American woodcock. The use of dogs to hunt black bear is prohibited.
• If a wounded animal enters a closed area, call the refuge headquarters or track it without a firearm.

Closed to Hunting

• Areas closed to hunting are considered safety zones for non-hunting recreation opportunities and housing. While hunting near these areas, please be aware that other users may be in the area.

Vehicle Regulations

• Vehicles are allowed on refuge roads when gates are open. No off-road travel is allowed with any motorized vehicle.
• Park along roads leaving room for vehicles to pass and do not block gates. Beware of soft shoulders and steep banks.

Shelter and Stand Regulations

• Portable tree stands are permitted. Only one stand per hunter is allowed and it must be removed by the end of the season.
• No screw in steps or any objects that penetrate through the bark of a tree are allowed.
• Free standing ground blinds built of manufactured materials must be removed at the close of hunting season.
• Blinds and stands must be clearly marked, and readable from the ground, with the hunter’s identification number.

Camping Regulations

• During the regular firearms season for white-tailed deer, camping and fires are allowed west of the Driggs River within 10 yards of the road. However, no camping is allowed in the Wilderness or Natural Areas. Camping is not allowed during muzzleloader season for white-tailed deer.
• Free camping permits are required and are valid between November 13 and December 1.

Not all areas of the refuge are open for fishing. Please refer to the fishing map for hunting zones.

Special Conditions

• Use of lead tackle is prohibited on the refuge. Lead is a toxic metal which has adverse effects on the nervous and reproductive systems of wildlife.
• Live bait or artificial lures may be used.
• Wildlife have the right-of-way. Separating young animals from their parents is often fatal.
• Dispose of fishing line properly. Line left lying on the ground or in the water may entangle wildlife causing serious injury or death. Several refuge fishing sites offer recycling bins for your used fishing line.

Boating and Vehicle Regulations

• Non-motorized watercraft are permitted on the Creighton River, Driggs River and Walsh Creek.
• Motorized craft are permitted on the Manistique River.

Refuge Pool Access

• Fishing is permitted from the bank only. Wading is not allowed.