Special Deer Seasons and Hunts

• 2012 Special Antlerless Deer Seasons
• Youth and 100 Percent Disabled Veteran Firearm Deer hunting Days
• 2012 Firearm Hunting Rules For Youth Hunter
• Apprentice Hunting License
• Mentored Youth Hunting Program

2012 Special Antlerless Deer Seasons

Firearm antlerless deer hunts will take place in some Lower Peninsula DMUs on the
following dates:

Refer to the 2012 Early and Late Season Firearm Antlerless Deer Hunting Units map for the DMUs included in the early and late antlerless deer seasons. Hunters must possess a private-land antlerless deer license issued for the DMU upon which they are hunting, or a Deer Management Assistance (DMA) permit valid for that DMU for the early and late antlerless seasons. A deer kill tag issued under the mentored youth license must be used for an antlerless deer during the antlerless-only seasons.

Firearm, combination, archery and junior archery deer licenses are not valid for any of the above seasons. All hunters are required to wear hunter orange and must have permission from the landowner or leaseholder before hunting on private land. The telephone number of the private landowner is required to acquire a private-land antlerless deer license. Also see section below, "Firearm Hunting Rules for Youth Hunters."

Youth and 100 Percent Disabled Veteran Firearm Deer Hunting Days

A youth and 100 percent disabled veteran firearm deer hunt will take place on all lands in Michigan September 22-23, 2012. Youth 16 years of age or younger may participate in this special hunt. Hunters under the age of 10 must be licensed through the Mentored Youth Hunting Program and accompanied by a qualified mentor. Also see section below, "Firearm Hunting Rules for Youth Hunters." For youth 10 to 16 years of age and qualified veterans with disabilities, valid licenses include a combination, firearm or antlerless deer license. During this two-day hunt only, a firearm or combination license may be used for an antlered or antlerless deer. A Deer Management Assistance (DMA) permit may also be used to take one antlerless deer only, if issued for the area/land upon which hunting. Archery and junior archery deer licenses are not valid for this hunt. The bag limit for this season is one deer.

A veteran who has been determined to have a 100 percent disability or is rated as individually unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs may participate in this hunt. Documentation from the Veterans Administration shall be in the possession of a veteran participating in this hunt.

All hunters are required to wear hunter orange and must have permission from the landowner or leaseholder before hunting on private land. The telephone number of the private landowner is required to acquire a private-land antlerless deer license.

Firearm Hunting Rules for Youth Hunters

The following restrictions apply to youth hunters during any firearm deer season:

Apprentice Hunting License

A person who does not have a hunter safety certificate and is 10 years of age or older may purchase an apprentice hunting license. An apprentice hunter may purchase this license for two license years before he or she must successfully complete a hunter safety course. The apprentice hunting license is available to residents and nonresidents.

When afield, an apprentice hunter must be accompanied by someone 21 or older who possesses a regular current-year hunting license for the same game as the apprentice. For apprentices between ages 10-16, the accompanying hunter must be the apprentice's parent, guardian, or someone designated by the parent or guardian. "Accompanied by" requires the accompanying hunter to be able to come to the immediate aid of the apprentice and stay within a distance that permits uninterrupted, unaided visual and verbal contact.

For hunting antlerless deer, the accompanying hunter needs a 2012 deer hunting
license that is valid sometime within the 2012 deer hunting season. A person may
accompany no more than two apprentice hunters while hunting.

Mentored Youth Hunting Program

New! The Mentored Youth Hunting Program allows youth hunters nine years old and younger to hunt deer, turkey and small game, trap furbearers and fish for all species with a qualified youth mentor who is 21 years old. The mentored youth license is a "package" license that entitles the youth to hunt, trap and fish for the species listed above during all open seasons for the species. Additional restrictions apply; complete program details can be found in the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Digest, or online at www. michigan.gov/mentoredhunting.

A deer kill tag issued under the mentored youth license is valid for any deer in any deer management unit, except during antlerless-only seasons when only an antlerless deer may be taken.