The spring turkey season opens today in the Upper Peninsula. For hunters who have yet to get a permit, licenses can still be purchased for a hunt that begins May 2. (Betsy Bloom/Daily news photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — As the spring turkey season opens today in the Upper Peninsula, hunters are reminded there’s a new mandatory harvest reporting requirement.

Starting this year, all successful turkey hunters must report their harvest within 72 hours of harvest or before transferring possession of the bird, whichever comes first. Harvests can be reported online or through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Hunt Fish mobile app.

“Mandatory harvest reporting gives us a clearer picture of turkey harvest across the state and helps ensure sustainable turkey populations for the future,” said Adam Bump, the DNR’s upland game bird specialist. “It also allows hunters to see near real-time harvest information as the season progresses.”

Hunters must use the unique license number printed on their paper kill tag or listed with their electronic kill tag (eHarvest tag) to report a harvest.

To report a harvest online, go to Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport and enter your kill tag or eHarvest tag number and date of birth.

On the app, sign in, select the tag used and complete the harvest report.

Once the report is submitted, hunters will receive a confirmation number. Hunters using an electronic tag must also validate the harvest in the app immediately after harvest.

You can transport your own and another person’s lawfully taken game. You cannot transport or possess a turkey unless a validated kill tag is attached to the leg of the turkey or you have validated your eHarvest tag. You cannot destroy the identity or evidence of the sex of a turkey while in the field or when transported in a motor vehicle.

Along with the U.P. hunt starting today, there is also a statewide spring turkey hunt with unlimited licenses that opens May 2. The bag limit in the spring hunt is one bearded turkey for the season.

Also, hunters ages 10 to 16 may now purchase a spring turkey youth license until the end of the season on May 31. Youth licenses do not require an application.

***

Turkey harvest registration is also mandatory in Wisconsin where the spring season opened Wednesday.

Hunters must register their turkey by 5 p.m. the day after recovery online at https://gowild.wi.gov/wildlife/harvest or by phone at 844-426-3734. To register a turkey, hunters will need the harvest authorization number found on the paper or electronic harvest authorization.

***

Melting snow and rain have caused rivers to breach their banks. Anglers are advised to use caution near waterbodies or areas with flooding risk.

The Michigan DNR reported this U.P. activity:

Little Bay de Noc: Little to no fishing pressure this week as anglers awaited open water season. Any remaining ice was in poor condition and the shoreline has deteriorated, resulting in few anglers going out.

Munising: The coho salmon bite remained steady for anglers, with a few nice-sized cisco mixed in. Anglers also caught a few smaller whitefish and splake over the past week. Anglers reported catching a good number of smelt as well. Popular baits were minnows and eggs. Ice conditions worsened due to the warm weather and rain.

Keweenaw Bay: Before ice conditions deteriorated due to weather, anglers reported good catches of coho salmon and cisco. Anglers had also reported success when targeting both smelt and whitefish.

Black River Harbor: Amenities at the harbor remain closed from the winter offseason. Access to the lake from the harbor is now unrestricted as the last of the ice buildup has dissipated. Fishing efforts have picked up but remained low. Some anglers had luck catching coho salmon in low numbers from the harbor breakwalls.