Michigan’s Early and Late Antlerless Seasons Expanded

The Natural Resources Commission has made it easier for hunters to take more antlerless deer in much of the Lower Peninsula by expanding the early and late antlerless-only hunts and easing some license restrictions.

Antrim and Oceana counties; the portion of Charlevoix County in Deer Management Unit 015; those portions of Muskegon, Mecosta, Isabella, Midland and Bay counties in Zone 2; and the portion of Arenac County east of M-65 have been added to the early antlerless-only season, Sept. 16-20.

Antrim, St. Clair, Macomb, Wayne and Monroe counties; the portion of Charlevoix County in DMU 015; and the portion of Arenac County east of M-65 have been added to the late antlerless season, Dec. 20 – Jan. 1.

The limit of antlerless licenses that hunters may purchase on one day has been raised from two to five for all DMUs in Zone 3, DMU 487 and DMU 452. In addition, the season limit of five private-land licenses in DMUs 486 and 041 has been eliminated.

Meanwhile, hunters in DMU 487 may now use a tag from a firearms license or a combination license to take an antlerless deer during firearms season.
“These changes will give hunters greater flexibility to take antlerless deer in areas where we want to increase the antlerless-deer harvest,” said Brent Rudolph the Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s deer and elk program leader. “All affected units either have deer populations in excess of our goals or include areas with disease issues or negative impacts on private property.”