LEELANAU COUNTY, MI - A group of students recently discovered a new excuse for failing to complete homework.

According to a report filed by a conservation officer with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, a group of six individuals were cited in late February for filming a war movie on federal land without a permit.

The incident occurred on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore when CO Colton Gelinas, who was on patrol in Leelanau County, was dispatched to assist the U.S. Parks Service for suspicious activity.

Sleeping Bear Dunes falls within DNR District 4, which covers Benzie, Grand Traverse, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Wexford counties.

Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of four national lakeshores in the United States.

CO Gelinas, along with two rangers, made contact with the group who said they were filming a war movie for a school project.

According to the report, the group had two air rifles that replicated M4 carbine assault rifles and an air handgun that replicated a Sig Sauer.

The rangers issued the group a citation, under federal law, pertaining to filming without a permit. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management addresses the issue specifically.

"A permit is required for all commercial filming activities on public lands. Commercial filming is defined as the use of motion picture, videotaping, sound recording, or other moving image or audio recording equipment on public lands that involves the advertisement of a product or service, the creation of a product for sale, or the use of actors, models, sets, or props, but not including activities associated with broadcasts for news programs."

There's no official word on whether or not their teacher would accept the excuse.