LANSING — Hunters are encouraged to stay close to home during the Michigan spring turkey season, which opens today.

If you have already purchased and have in your possession a 2020 spring turkey kill tag that is for an area far from home, go to Michigan.gov/HuntLocal to receive an authorization number to convert your existing tag into a Hunt 0234 tag, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.

Hunt 0234 is a statewide hunting license valid May 1-31 for public and private lands, except public lands in Unit ZZ in the southern Lower Peninsula.

Fill out the website form, click the SUBMIT button and you’ll be assigned a unique confirmation number. Write this number on your current 2020 spring turkey kill tag to convert that tag into a Hunt 0234 tag. This will allow you to hunt in your chosen hunt area closer to home.

If you were successfully drawn for a spring 2020 turkey license that is a long distance from your home and you have not already purchased a turkey license, you don’t have to purchase the license that you were awarded in the drawing. Instead, you can search for leftover licenses and easily complete a purchase online.

All turkey hunting rules and regulations apply.