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Gear up for some early deer hunting opportunities in Michigan.
Before you head into the field, be sure to check the latest hunting regulations in your area by looking at the 2019 Hunting Digest. The sections below refer to specific pages of the digest for more information on these topics.
Baiting and feeding is banned in the entire Lower Peninsula and the Core CWD Surveillance Area in the Upper Peninsula.
- Exception: Hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements
may use bait, during the Liberty and Independence Hunts only, in areas where baiting is banned. See pages 33–34 of the 2019 Hunting Digest.
- See pages 44 and 50 of the 2019 Hunting Digest for additional information about the baiting and feeding bans.
Antler point restrictions (APR)
- Montcalm, Mecosta and Ionia counties have new APRs.
- Be sure to check the APR chart before heading out this year:
- Lower Peninsula APR chart, see pages 42-43 of the 2019 Hunting Digest.
- Upper Peninsula APR chart, see pages 48-49 of the 2019 Hunting Digest.
This firearm deer hunt will take place Sept. 14-15 statewide on private and public lands open to firearm deer hunting. Individuals with qualifying disabilities may participate in this hunt in addition to youth 16 years of age and younger.
Youth hunting in areas with a baiting ban in place may not use bait during the Liberty Hunt. Antler point restrictions do not apply for the Liberty Hunt. Youth and hunters with disabilities may harvest either an antlered or antlerless deer on a deer or deer combo license. Youth age 16 and under may hunt with a firearm on public land.
See pages 29 and 33 of the 2019 Hunting Digest for details.
Early antlerless firearm season is open on private lands only in select Lower Peninsula deer management units. See page 40 of the 2019 Hunting Digest for open DMUs.
Leftover antlerless licenses
All remaining antlerless deer licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis until license quotas are met in each DMU. Current leftover license availability may be viewed at Michigan.gov/Deer.
CWD Management Zone discounted antlerless licenses
There is a 40% discounted private-land antlerless license available for purchase in the CWD Management Zone; however, this license will expire on Nov. 3.
Archery deer hunting is open statewide Oct. 1 – Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 – Jan. 1.
This firearm deer hunt will take place on private lands, and some public lands
requiring an access permit, Oct. 17-20.
During this hunt, a deer or deer combo license may be used for an antlered or
antlerless deer. Antler point restrictions do not apply. An antlerless deer license or deer management assistance permit may be used to take one
antlerless deer only, if issued for the area/land upon which hunting. The bag
limit for this season is one deer. All hunters participating in this season must
wear hunter orange.
Additional details can be found on page 34 of the 2019 Hunting Digest.
Bring your deer to a DNR check station for data collection and disease surveillance to receive a 2019 deer hunter cooperator patch. |
