The 2025 waterfowl hunting season in Michigan is more than just crisp mornings and camouflage—it's also about the risk of catching bird flu from geese. RELATED: Michigan Hunters Warned: Don’t Eat Deer Harvested Near This MarshWhat Is HPAI (Bird Flu) & How Long in MichiganHPAI, also known as bird flu, has been hanging around the Mitten State since 2021, and now it's showing up in Canada geese, bald eagles, and even red-tailed hawks. With the fall migration ahead of us, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is urging waterfowl hunters to protect themselves and their pets against this nasty bug. Even though the odds are low that humans can contract the bird flu in Michigan, it's not zero (comforting, I know). Michigan hunters are made of hardy stock, but bird flu shouldn't be what takes you down, especially when you can avoid it.