Hunters can be licensed at age 10. A hunter must be at least 12 years old to hunt deer, bear or elk with a firearm. Hunters age 12-13 may hunt deer, bear or elk with a firearm only on private land, including lands enrolled in the Commercial Forest program.
    Exception: Everyone 10 or older is required to have a license to hunt when participating in a bear or bobcat hunt with dogs.
    To obtain a regular hunting license, your parent or guardian must accompany you to a license agent. You must fill out an application and present your Michigan hunter safety certificate at this time. For information on hunter safety classes, contact the nearest DNR Operations Service Center or search online.
    Hunters under age 17, when afield, other than on land where their parent or guardian lives, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone 18 or older designated by their parent or guardian. "Accompanied by" requires the adult to be able to come to the immediate aid of the other person and staying within a distance from the other person that permits uninterrupted, unaided visual and verbal contact.
    Nonresidents under the age of 17 may purchase resident and junior licenses.
    The minimum age requirements for all licenses are listed with the License Fees. Youngsters who apply for a license through a drawing must be the minimum age when the license is purchased.
    Resident junior archery deer hunting, junior combination deer, junior small game, and junior fur harvester licenses are available to resident and nonresident hunters, ages 10-16, and grant the same privileges as the adult licenses.