Applications for Michigan’s 2026 reserved deer hunts and reserved deer youth hunts will be accepted July 15 through Aug. 15.
Hunters may apply for reserved hunts at Shiawassee River State Game Area, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and Sharonville State Game Area. Many reserved public land hunts are limited to hunters with disabilities or have other eligibility requirements established by the local land manager, so be sure to review hunt requirements before applying.
Important dates
Application period: July 15 through Aug. 15.
Drawing results available: Aug. 31.
Leftover licenses available (if quota remains): Sept. 3, beginning at 10 a.m.
Who can apply
Michigan residents and nonresidents are eligible.
Reserved deer youth hunt applicants must be 16 years old or younger.
Hunters may apply for one reserved deer hunt choice or one reserved deer youth hunt choice. Partnership applications are available for parties of up to two eligible hunters. Both hunters must use the same party ID, and either both applicants will be selected or neither will be selected.
Please note that nonambulatory hunts at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge are not part of the 2026 drawing. Those hunts are being administered directly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Hunters interested in those opportunities should contact the refuge for additional information.
For complete information on reserved deer hunts, eligibility requirements and available hunt locations, visit the Reserved deer hunts webpage.
Upper Peninsula antlerless access permit update
Antlerless deer hunting access permits will not be available for the Upper Peninsula in 2026.
Hunters planning to harvest an antlerless deer in the Upper Peninsula should be aware that universal antlerless licenses may only be used in the designated low-snowfall deer management units: 022, 122, 255, 155, 121 and 055.
Universal antlerless license use limits in those DMUs are:
DMU 022: one license.
DMUs 122, 255, 155 and 121: up to two licenses each.
DMU 055: Up to five licenses.
Hunters may purchase up to 10 universal antlerless licenses, but the use limits restrict how many universal antlerless licenses may be used to harvest antlerless deer within individual DMUs. Upper Peninsula hunters still have the option to take antlerless deer in the early or late archery season using their single deer license or combo deer license.
For all hunting regulations updates, including the mobile-friendly and desktop versions of the 2026 deer hunting regulations summary, visit the Regulation summaries and handbooks webpage.
