Department of Natural Resources officials remind hunters that a special five-day, antlerless-only deer season begins Thursday, Sept. 18, in all of Zone 3, the southern Lower Peninsula, and in the six counties of Presque Isle, Montmorency, Alpena, Alcona, Oscoda, and Iosco in the northeastern Lower Peninsula.

"Despite liberal hunting regulations, we've been unable to bring deer numbers down to within our management goals in most of the region," explained DNR Deer Specialist Rod Clute. "We are hoping hunters will take advantage of this special season and help us manage the herd by taking adult does."

The Sept. 18-22 season is a firearms season; hunters may use archery gear, but are required to wear hunter orange as they would during any firearm season. Hunters are reminded it is illegal to bait deer due to the recent discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a captive deer facility in Kent County.

Hunters in the nine-township CWD Surveillance Zone in Kent County, including Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield, and Cannon townships, are required to bring the deer to a check station for mandatory CWD testing. For more information on CWD, visit www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease.

For more information on deer hunting dates and regulations, check the 2008 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide, or visit www.michigan.gov/dnr.