Prospects for the 2008-2009 hunting seasons are excellent, according to Department of Natural Resources officials, with several new opportunities available to big-game hunters this year.

As always, the DNR encourages hunters to introduce the pastime to friends and family members, especially youngsters.

Changes in licensing requirements allow first-time hunters, who find they have an opportunity to go afield, the ability to purchase an apprentice license without having to have completed hunter education first. The apprentice license allows a new hunter the opportunity to participate for two seasons with a mentor before completing hunter education. Otherwise, anyone born after Jan. 1, 1960 is required to have a hunter education certificate in order to buy a license.

Youngsters can begin hunting small game at 10 years of age with a firearm or deer with bow; youngsters must be 12 to hunt deer or bear with a firearm. Firearm deer hunters 12 and 13 years of age are restricted to private-land hunting only.

Youths 10-16 years old also can participate in a youth deer hunt (Sept. 27-28). For more details, see the 2008 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide, which can be found online at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Bear

Season: Bear licenses are issued, by lottery, for specific time periods and geographical areas. Hunting on the mainland in the Upper Peninsula runs from Sept. 10-Oct. 26. On Drummond Island, the season is Sept. 10-Oct. 21. In the northern Lower Peninsula, the Red Oak Management Unit is open Sept. 19-25 and again -- but this time for bow and arrow only -- Oct. 5-11. The north area of the Baldwin unit opens Sept. 12; the remainder of the unit opens Sept. 19, and the season runs through Sept. 25. The Gladwin unit is open Sept. 19-25.

Outlook: Bear hunting is excellent in Michigan, with an estimated bear population of 15,000 to 19,000 animals in the northern two-thirds of the state. In the Upper Peninsula, the population appears to be stable to increasing. In the northern Lower Peninsula, the population appears to be stable, though animals continue to range farther south. Hunters using hounds are not allowed during the first five days of the season in the Upper Peninsula. Wildlife officials anticipate a typical harvest of slightly more than 2,000 bear this fall.

Elk

Season: Aug. 26-29 and Sept 12-16 in designated elk management units and Dec. 9-16 in all of the state's elk range in Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties. A special hunt may be held Jan. 15-19 in agricultural areas if biologists determine the earlier hunts yielded an inadequate harvest to meet population goals. A total of 330 permits, issued by lottery, were available this year; one-third for the first hunt, two-thirds for the second hunt and in a similar ratio for any elk (bull or cow) or antlerless-only animals.

Outlook: As a result of refinements in its elk census techniques, the DNR estimates the fall elk herd is more than 1,100 animals, above the state management goal of 800 to 900 animals going into the season. Based on this population, additional hunters received licenses this year which will result in significantly increasing the harvest. Wildlife officials project an excellent season.

Deer

Season: New this year is a five-day antlerless-only firearms season on private land only in all of Zone 3 (southern Lower Peninsula) and in six counties of the northeastern Lower Peninsula. The early firearm antlerless season was held Sept. 18-22. Archery season is Oct. 1-Nov. 14 and Dec. 1-Jan. 1. Firearms season is Nov. 15-30. A late antlerless-only firearms season on private land is slated for Dec. 22- Jan. 1 in most of Zone 3. Muzzleloader seasons are Dec. 5-14 in the Upper Peninsula, Dec. 12-21 in the northern Lower Peninsula and Dec. 5-21 in the southern Lower Peninsula. A special youth and 100 percent disabled veterans deer hunt is scheduled for Sept. 27-28 and a special firearms hunt for hunters with certain disabilities is on tap for Oct. 16-19. The season limit is no more than two bucks. Hunters may purchase up to five antlerless deer licenses, though no more than two may be for the northern two-thirds of the state. New this year, Upper Peninsula hunters who wish to take two bucks will be required to buy the combination license and the tags will be restricted to a buck with at least three antler points on one side and a buck with at least four antler points on one side.

Outlook: An estimated 700,000 hunters will take to Michigan's fields and forests this year, enjoying more than 10 million days of outdoor recreation. The deer population is estimated to be similar to slightly larger than it was last year, when hunters took roughly 476,000 whitetails. Roughly half that harvest comes from the southern third of the state and officials expect that trend to continue; the Upper Peninsula herd is somewhat smaller than usual following a long and tough winter, although field reports project a somewhat bigger than expected population in the northern Lower Peninsula. Biologists predict the additional five days of antlerless-only hunting in September will add one to two percent to the total harvest, though they encourage all sportsmen and sportswomen to purchase and use antlerless licenses if they are available in the areas they hunt, especially in southern Michigan where the population is well above the management goal. Hunters in the Lower Peninsula are reminded not to bait deer due to disease risk concerns with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD was detected in a Michigan deer on Aug. 25.

Bobcat

Season: Bobcat hunting in the Upper Peninsula is divided into two zones; the mainland (Unit A) and Drummond Island (Unit B) and both are open Dec. 1-March 1. In the northern Lower Peninsula, for Unit C (Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties) the season is Jan. 1-March 1. In Unit D (Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Iosco, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon and Wexford counties and part of Arenac County) the season is Jan. 1-Feb. 1. The bag limit is two with only one from Unit B and only one from Units C and D combined.

Outlook: Bobcats are primarily found in the northern two-thirds of the state. The population appears to be in somewhat of a decline in the Upper Peninsula, where harvests vary widely from year to year, based in part on snow conditions and road access. Last year hunters killed 340 bobcats statewide. Hunters must possess a valid fur harvester's license and a bobcat kill tag, which is available free from DNR field offices. Immediately upon killing a bobcat, the hunter must apply the kill tag to the animal. Hunters are required to present the carcass to a DNR office within 10 days of the close of the season. DNR personnel will collect data, including the date, location and method of harvest and may collect the skull or a tooth from the cat. The bobcats will be sealed by the DNR.

Coyote

Season: July 15-April 15 statewide, except in Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula) and Zone 2 (northern Lower Peninsula) during the firearms deer season (Nov. 15-30). They may be taken year-round on private property when they are doing or about to do damage. Coyotes may not be taken from April 1-Sept. 14 on state parks and recreation lands and they may not be pursued with dogs from April 15-July 14. There is no bag limit.

Outlook: Coyotes are widespread across Michigan and although they are most common in the northern two-thirds of the state, their numbers are increasing dramatically in southern Michigan. Highly adaptable, retiring and primarily nocturnal creatures, coyotes may be present in significant numbers without being highly visible. Coyote hunters are advised to be especially careful in the Upper Peninsula where young wolves may be confused with coyotes. Coyotes may be hunted at night. Night hunters are restricted to .22 caliber or smaller rifles or handguns, bows and arrows, or shotguns with shells containing shot smaller than buck shot. Check the 2008 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide for additional restrictions.

Raccoon

Season: Oct.1-Jan. 31 statewide, though they may be taken year-round on private property if doing or about to do damage. There is no bag limit.

Outlook: Raccoons are abundant and widespread and may be found practically anywhere, though they are partial to hardwood forests, especially along waterways. Wood lots adjoining agricultural fields are particularly productive early in the season. Raccoons are typically hunted at night with hounds. Last year hunters took an estimated 75,000 raccoons in Michigan. Check the 2008 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide for firearms and equipment restrictions.

Fox

Season: Oct. 15-March 1. There is no bag limit.

Outlook: Both red fox and gray fox are found across all of Michigan. Red fox, which are more numerous, are found largely in agricultural areas and mixed habitat of fence rows, fallow fields and shrub coverage adjacent to wood lots or waterways. Gray fox are typically found in woodlands. Although both species are found in all counties, fox numbers may be locally abundant, but are down in some areas, perhaps because of increasing coyote populations. Although they are commonly hunted with dogs -- often in conjunction with coyotes -- the use of predator calls has become increasingly popular in recent years. Last year hunters killed about 750 gray fox and 2,000 red fox in Michigan.