(WWJ) Michigan hunters anxious to get a jump on the season can hunt antlerless deer next weekend in the Lower Peninsula.
Early antlerless firearm season runs Sept. 16-17, for two days only, on private lands in the Lower Peninsula.
If you're hunting in an area with high deer numbers, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking hunters to consider taking a doe this year "to do your part in managing Michigan's deer herd."
The DNR says harvesting does, the drivers of the deer population, is a key element in deer management.
"It is important to consider increasing doe harvest in areas with stable or overpopulated deer numbers to ensure healthy population ranges," the DNR said. "This is especially crucial in known deer disease areas, where deer numbers often need to be lowered to help minimize the future spread of the disease."
Antlerless deer can be harvested on a deer or deer combo license in the mainland Lower Peninsula and during the archery season in parts of the Upper Peninsula. A universal antlerless license can also be used to harvest an antlerless deer, though some units in the UP prohibit or restrict the use of antlerless licenses.
But the early antlerless hunt isn't, in fact, the first deer season in Michigan. A special Liberty Hunt, for youth ages 16 and under, and hunters with disabilities, runs this week, Sept. 9-10.
This year, the number of deer that can be harvested per Liberty hunter has been raised from one to two. The Michigan DNR said 2% of deer harvested in 2022 were from the Liberty Hunt.
Michigan deer season information:
Liberty hunt: Sept. 9 – 10, 2023
Early antlerless firearm: Sept. 16 – 17, 2023
Independence hunt: Oct. 19 – 22, 2023
Archery: Oct. 1 – Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 – Jan. 1, 2023
Regular firearm: Nov. 15 – 30, 2023
Muzzleloading (Zones 1, 2 and 3): Dec. 1 – 10, 2023
Late antlerless firearm: Dec. 11, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024
Some important reminders: Baiting and feeding is allowed in the Upper Peninsula only, and is banned in the Lower Peninsula, except for those with a qualifying disability during the Liberty and Independence hunts.
Also something for hunters to keep in mind: Just like last year, all harvested deer are required to be reported. The easiest way to report a harvest is by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or online at Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport.
Michigan hunters can get more details about hunting antlerless deer, the Liberty Hunt, licensing, baiting rules and more in the 2023 Hunting Regulations Summary.
