Disabled hunters may use ORV’s, with flags

Hunters enjoying Michigan’s deer hunting seasons may spot a fellow hunter on an off-road vehicle with an orange flag. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officers remind everyone that hunters using ORVs with orange flags are operating legally and should not be harassed.

A law approved in 2008 allows persons with disabilities who are hunting with proper permits to ride an ORV with an orange flag to identify themselves as a hunter with disabilities.

The law is intended to prevent misunderstandings between sportsmen and sportswomen that might arise when confronted with an ORV operating in an area open to hunting. It is important for hunters to understand that under certain circumstances, ORV use is permitted, said Lt. Andrew Turner of the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division.

Turner said the law simply allows hunters with disabilities to display an orange flag if they so choose. The law does not require a flag, and there are no size or height requirements in the law for the flag. The DNR chose orange for the flag color because orange flags are readily available, highly visible, inexpensive and commonly used for safety purposes.

“It is important to note that the law does not grant any additional privileges, such as cross-country operation, for ORV operators with disabilities,” Turner said. “It simply allows them to be identified as such.”

For more information on hunting opportunities in Michigan, visit the DNR website www.michigan.gov/hunting.