Michigan
Michigan DNR releases updated guidelines for the 2023-2025 hunting seasons
Michigan – The Michigan DNR announced on Tuesday updated regulations for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 hunting seasons were approved last week.
The regularly-scheduled three-year-duration of deer regulations aimed to enhance deer hunting opportunities include the following updates:
Restricted tag of the deer combo license – A four-point antler point restriction on the restricted tag of the deer-combo license was reinstated for these 19 counties: Barry, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Lenawee, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ottawa and Shiawassee. All deer-combo licenses in the southern Lower Peninsula will have “an unrestricted regular tag and a four-point restricted tag.
Liberty Hunt – Hunters participating in Liberty Hunt will be allowed to harvest more than one deer. Hunters can peruse multiple antlerless deer, and one buck. A separate license is required for each harvested deer.
The Upper Peninsula Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone (CWD Zone) – This zone has been removed, allowing hunters to resume baiting and feeding practices. The hunters’ choice antler point regulations — including unrestricted tags for the deer license and point restrictions for the regular and restricted tags on the deer combo license — are now reinstated.
Late archery season and crossbows – Hunters are still prohibited from using crossbows during the late archery season in the Upper Peninsula now than a proposal to allow crossbows in the late season was rejected. This includes hunters in the former CWD Zone where late-season crossbow use was allowed.
Antlerless harvest in northern deer management units (DMU) – The proposal to reinstate antlerless deer in several northern DMUs was rejected. Antlerless harvest is still largely prohibited in the 007, 031, 042, 048, 066, 127 and 131 DMUs. The only exceptions are qualified hunters during the Liberty Hunt, and through Deer Management Assistance Permits when authorized.
“There are many challenges facing deer hunting in Michigan and across much of the Midwest in the coming years,” said Chad Stewart, the DNR’s deer, elk and moose management specialist. “While the approved regulations for the 2023 to 2025 deer seasons are geared toward increasing opportunities for a declining hunter base, we recognize that we’ll have to continue to evaluate all possible options to sustainably manage Michigan’s deer herd in the future.”