Brent Rudolph, Deer, Elk, and Moose Management Specialist
Samantha Courtney, Deer Biologist
Chad Stewart, Cervid and Wildlife Interactions Unit Supervisor
As Michigan’s 2026 deer season gets underway, the Department of Natural Resources offers observations, considerations and tips for our deer hunters who are preparing to hit the woods and fields.
We’ve provided a brief overview of recent data, trends, and observations regarding weather conditions, past hunting season results and factors since the prior Michigan hunting season that might affect what hunters will see and experience in the season ahead. These are general overviews of each region and might not reflect conditions at the specific location where you hunt. Bear in mind that insights on Michigan’s hunting season results are offered by two different sources. For many years, the Michigan Deer Harvest Survey has been completed by mail following conclusion of the hunting seasons to estimate participation and harvest. Beginning with the 2022 season, successful Michigan deer hunters have been required to report their harvest. You can find summaries of these results and other reports in the deer section of our Wildlife publications page.
Hunters should be aware of important regulations or recent changes in each region and be prepared to report their harvest and assist with disease-testing priorities. Information and helpful resources are included to help hunters plan accordingly. A detailed summary of all regulations is not provided, but readers can find additional regulations information through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and the mobile-friendly and desktop-formatted versions of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, all available through links on our deer page.
There are several new regulations statewide that are important to note. The muzzleloader season in the Upper Peninsula and the December Firearm Season in the Lower Peninsula have been reduced to three days beginning the first Friday in December. The Late Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, will now begin the Monday following the December Firearm Season and continue through January 1. These changes reduce late-season hunting pressure in the Upper Peninsula and provide a quicker transition to the Late Antlerless Season in the Lower Peninsula.
The Early Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, now occurs on the second weekend in September and runs concurrently with the statewide Liberty Hunt (September 12-13, 2026).
Additionally, to address concerns about localized overharvest of antlerless deer in some areas of the state, there are now DMU or county-specific use limits on universal antlerless licenses. A map outlining the use limits that were established for each DMU in the Upper Peninsula and each county in the Lower Peninsula is provided in the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary. Hunters may still purchase up to 10 universal antlerless licenses, but in most areas these use limits will prevent hunters from using all 10 licenses in a single DMU or county.
In 2026, the DNR is conducting focused collection for bovine tuberculosis (TB) and chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing in the counties noted under each regional section below. Hunters in these counties are encouraged to submit samples to support ongoing surveillance efforts. Deer harvest reporting is mandatory for all successful hunters and must be completed before disease testing. Hunters outside focused CWD and TB surveillance areas are eligible for free CWD testing using a lymph node extraction kit that includes overnight shipping. Deer from outside the TB surveillance counties can still be submitted for TB testing at the hunter’s request, and all heads tested for CWD through the DNR are also screened for TB. Information is provided below about where to submit samples, how to obtain and use free CWD testing kits, and how disease-testing results are reported.
New for 2026 is electronic harvest tagging (eHarvest tags) for deer. Hunters who purchase a deer license through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app immediately receive an eHarvest tag on their smartphone, allowing them to validate the tag electronically rather than attach a paper kill tag. An eHarvest tag can be validated with or without cell service. If the deer is no longer personally attended by the hunter, a tag made of durable material with the license number written in permanent ink must be securely attached. A durable tag is not required when the deer is stored at the hunter’s primary residence or transferred directly to a processor or taxidermist. eHarvest tagging does not replace mandatory harvest reporting; hunters must still report their harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession, whichever comes first. Following successful eHarvest pilots for turkey, digital tagging has expanded in 2026 to deer, bear and several furbearing species.
Deer hunters who purchase a license from a license retailer will receive a paper kill tag at the point of sale. Hunters who purchase a deer license through eLicense will receive a paper kill tag by mail, which can take 10-15 business days. Hunters who purchase through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app receive an eHarvest tag immediately and do not receive a paper kill tag.
Deer harvest reporting is mandatory for all successful hunters. Deer hunters are required to report their harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer, whichever comes first. The deer harvest report page includes links for reporting a harvest or downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, along with reporting instructions, tips, a demonstration video and resources for assistance.
Basic information about how to find a place to hunt can benefit people who are new to deer hunting or to a region of the state, as well as seasoned hunters looking for a new area or more details about a favorite hunting location.
Hunters can start by visiting the DNR Where to hunt page. Links are provided to explore state game areas and Hunting Access Program (HAP) lands and to learn about hunting on national forests or Commercial Forest lands.
Hunters can use the MiHunt mapping application accessed from that page to identify hunting lands (with approximate boundaries of all types of lands open to public hunting), hunting unit boundaries (like Deer Management Units), Michigan DNR parking areas and boat access sites, and forest types with stand size/age and density for State Forest lands. MiHunt may be used from a computer or a mobile device to scout new hunting areas or explore more details about any site of interest, and if location services are available and enabled on your device you can view your current location.
The public lands page is another source of information on the approximately 4.6 million acres of public lands stewarded by the DNR.
For each region, additional considerations are provided below regarding how deer distribution, hunting opportunities and accessibility may vary across the area.
The Upper Peninsula (U.P.) experienced a harsh winter for the second year in a row. Deep snow and several late-winter snowstorms delayed spring melt and green-up. These conditions likely affected the deer population, but no major widespread die-offs were reported. Local wildlife biologists reported that fawn recruitment may be lower than average this spring and summer compared with previous years, but population impacts are expected to be localized rather than dramatic across the region. Summer weather was dry in some areas but generally favorable for crop growth, with an average to above-average blueberry crop reported. Deer returning to their summer range found an abundance of acorns. A good U.P. summer should provide a boost for deer in the region, but the difficult winter extending into spring may still result in below-average deer condition and antler development heading into the 2026 hunting season.
Hunters pursuing an antlered buck in the U.P. with a single deer or combo deer license should familiarize themselves with antler point restrictions (APRs) in the region. Consult the Upper Peninsula APRs section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, available through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions accessible through our deer page. Review the APR requirements based on the options you have for licenses to purchase and the seasons in which you’ll be hunting.
Following several severe U.P. winters, no antlerless deer hunting access permits are being offered for 2026, reducing harvest pressure on antlerless deer. Deer Management Units 351 and 352 have been rescinded.
U.P. hunters can still use universal antlerless licenses to hunt antlerless deer in the southernmost DMUs (022, 055, 121, 122, 155 and 255). The purchase limit remains 10 universal antlerless licenses per hunter, but DMU-level use limits now apply. A map outlining the use limit for each DMU, and for each county in the Lower Peninsula, is provided in the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary.
The Upper Peninsula muzzleloader season has been reduced from 10 days to three days, running Friday through Sunday on the first weekend in December. The shorter season will reduce harvest and late-season hunting pressure on deer, including during periods when deer may face increased energetic demands and be more vulnerable to harvest while migrating to deer wintering complexes in the U.P.
The Liberty Hunt for youth and hunters with qualifying disabilities occurs the second weekend in September (September 12-13, 2026).
Hunters in the U.P. are allowed to use bait from Sept. 15 through Jan. 1. Bait cannot exceed 2 gallons at a hunting site and must be spread over a minimum 10-foot-by-10-foot area. To minimize potential disease transmission, the DNR recommends not repeatedly placing bait at the same point on the ground and baiting only when actively hunting. Review additional rules in the Baiting section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions available through links on our deer page.
In 2026, the DNR is not conducting focused CWD collection in the U.P. Hunters interested in testing their deer for CWD may use free lymph node extraction kits, which include overnight shipping. Hunters must extract the lymph nodes themselves and submit them to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for CWD testing. Results from deer submitted to MSU will be sent directly to the hunter and will not appear on the DNR lab results webpage.
The U.P. has ample hunting opportunities on state forests, national forests and lands enrolled in the Commercial Forest Program, which includes more than 2.2 million acres of privately owned forest land across the state that is accessible by foot to the public for fishing, hunting and trapping. More information is available on the Commercial Forest Program website. Boundaries of all these lands may also be viewed by accessing MiHunt through the where to hunt page.
Similar to the U.P., the Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) experienced above-average snowfall during the 2025-2026 winter. No significant die-offs were reported. The fall of 2025 provided an abundance of acorns in the region, helping deer build fat reserves and aiding winter survival. This spring and summer, fawn recruitment and antler growth were reported as high. Local biologists indicated that hard mast production is strong in 2026, while soft mast production is average and may have been tempered by dry spells in the region.
Hunters pursuing an antlered buck in the NLP with a single deer or combo deer license should familiarize themselves with antler point restrictions (APRs) in the region. Consult the Lower Peninsula APRs section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, available through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions accessible through links on our Deer page. Review the APR requirements based on the options you have for licenses to purchase and the seasons in which you’ll be hunting.
One new regulation specific to the NLP opens DMU 115, which includes Beaver and Garden islands, to the Early and Late Antlerless Firearm seasons. Opening the islands to these seasons adds 28 days of antlerless-only hunting and creates consistent regulations across Charlevoix County. As noted above, several other regulation changes affect much or all of the Lower Peninsula.
The Early Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, now occurs on the second weekend in September and runs concurrently with the Liberty Hunt (September 12-13, 2026).
The muzzleloader season in the Lower Peninsula, now called the December Firearm Season, has been reduced to three days beginning the first Friday in December. The Late Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, will now begin the Monday following the December Firearm Season and continue through January 1. After the December Firearm Season, Lower Peninsula firearm deer hunting will be for antlerless deer only.
The Extended Late Antlerless Season and January Archery Season have been eliminated.
The Universal Antlerless License purchase limit remains at 10 per hunter, but there are now county-level use limits for these licenses in the Lower Peninsula. A map outlining the use limit for each county (and for each DMU in the Upper Peninsula) is provided in the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary.
The Limited Firearms Deer Zone has been eliminated. Beginning Sept. 12, 2026, hunters may use all legal firearms across the Lower Peninsula.
Baiting is banned throughout the Lower Peninsula on both public and private lands. The only exception allows hunters with qualifying disabilities to use bait during the Liberty and Independence hunts if they meet specific requirements. Hunters who qualify and wish to bait during these hunts should review the Baiting section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions available through links on our Deer page. Deer.
In 2026, the DNR is conducting focused collection for bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing in Alcona, Alpena, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon counties. The DNR encourages hunters to submit samples from deer harvested in these counties to support critical disease-monitoring efforts. Deer can also be submitted for TB testing from anywhere in the state at the hunter’s request. More information on testing and a link to DNR drop boxes and staffed sample submission sites are available on the Bovine tuberculosis testing page. Results are posted to the DNR lab results webpage. Remember that all successful hunters must complete a deer harvest report before submitting a deer for disease testing.
In 2026, the DNR is not conducting focused CWD collection in the NLP. Hunters in NLP counties outside active TB surveillance areas are eligible for free CWD testing using a lymph node extraction kit that includes overnight shipping. Due to the risk of bovine tuberculosis, hunters should not extract lymph nodes from deer harvested in Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle or Roscommon counties. For CWD testing of deer harvested in these counties, submit the head to a DNR wildlife field office and request CWD testing in addition to bTB testing. Otherwise, kits can be picked up from locations listed on the CWD testing page. Hunters must extract the lymph nodes themselves and submit them to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for CWD testing. Results from deer submitted to MSU will be sent directly to the hunter and will not appear on the DNR lab results webpage.
The NLP has ample hunting opportunities on state forests, national forests and lands enrolled in the Commercial Forest Program, which includes more than 2.2 million acres of privately owned forest land across the state that is accessible by foot to the public for fishing, hunting and trapping. More information is available on the Commercial Forest Program website. Boundaries of all these lands may also be viewed by accessing MiHunt through the where to hunt page.
While the Southern Lower Peninsula (SLP) experienced subzero temperatures this winter, snow accumulation was mild. No significant winter deer mortality is expected. Strong fawn recruitment and high numbers of twins were reported in several SLP counties during the spring and summer. Antler development appeared to be on par with previous years. Biologists noted increased crop-damage complaints in portions of Eaton, Calhoun, Barry, Kent, Ottawa and Lenawee counties. Biologists in the southeastern SLP also noted that local deer populations are still recovering from mortalities associated with last year’s epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak. An early, wet spring followed by a late-May frost and a dry spell may have affected soft mast production in the southeast. Damaging storms this spring and summer caused tree damage and loss, which may have increased deer use of agricultural fields in Lenawee, Monroe and Wayne counties.
Hunters pursuing an antlered buck in the SLP with a single deer license or regular tag of the combo deer license must be certain the deer has at least one antler three inches or longer. Antlered deer taken using the restricted tag of the combo deer license must have four or more antler points (each at least one inch long) on at least one side. SLP hunters also have the option of using a single deer or combo deer license (both the regular and restricted tags) to harvest an antlerless deer. No antlerless license is necessary to use this option. All of these options are described as part of the antler point restrictions (APRs) in the region. Consult the Lower Peninsula APRs section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, available through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions accessible through links on our Deer page. Review the APR requirements based on the options you have for licenses to purchase and the seasons in which you’ll be hunting.
The Early Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, now occurs on the second weekend in September and runs concurrently with the Liberty Hunt (September 12-13, 2026).
The muzzleloader season in the Lower Peninsula, now called the December Firearm Season, has been reduced to three days beginning the first Friday in December. The Late Antlerless Season, open across the Lower Peninsula except for DMUs 145 and 245, will now begin the Monday following the December Firearm Season and continue through January 1. After the December Firearm Season, Lower Peninsula firearm deer hunting will be for antlerless deer only.
The Extended Late Antlerless Season and January Archery Season have been eliminated.
The Universal Antlerless License purchase limit remains at 10 per hunter, but there are now county-level use limits for these licenses in the Lower Peninsula. A map outlining the use limit for each county (and for each DMU in the Upper Peninsula) is provided in the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary.
The Limited Firearms Deer Zone has been eliminated. Beginning Sept. 12, 2026, hunters may use all legal firearms across the Lower Peninsula.
Baiting is banned throughout the Lower Peninsula on both public and private lands. The only exception allows hunters with qualifying disabilities to use bait during the Liberty and Independence hunts if they meet specific requirements. Hunters who qualify and wish to bait during these hunts should review the Baiting section of the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or in digital versions available through links on our deer page.
Chronic wasting disease is present in many counties in southern Michigan, and continued monitoring remains a DNR priority. In 2026, the DNR is conducting focused CWD collection in Newaygo, Mecosta, Montcalm, Kent and Ionia counties. Hunters are encouraged to submit samples from deer harvested in these counties to support baseline CWD surveillance. CWD testing is free for deer harvested in these counties when submitted through DNR drop boxes or staffed sample submission sites. More information and submission locations are available on the CWD testing page. All heads tested for CWD through the DNR are also screened for bovine tuberculosis. Results are posted to the DNR lab results webpage. Remember that all successful hunters must complete a deer harvest report before submitting a deer for disease testing.
Hunters in counties outside active CWD or TB focused surveillance areas are eligible for free CWD testing using a lymph node extraction kit that includes overnight shipping. Kits can be picked up from locations listed on the CWD testing page. Hunters must extract the lymph nodes themselves and submit them to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for CWD testing. Results from deer submitted to MSU will be sent directly to the hunter and will not appear on the DNR lab results webpage.
An overview of publicly accessible lands in the SLP is available on the where to hunt page. Links are provided to explore state game areas and Hunting Access Program (HAP) lands. Boundaries of all these lands may also be viewed by accessing MiHunt through that page.
A wild card for SLP hunters this year will be local areas affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) over the past several years. In the last two years, the first confirmed EHD-positive deer were collected on August 18, 2025, and August 13, 2026. Prolonged EHD activity beginning in July or early August can substantially affect a local deer herd, but its distribution across the landscape can be extremely variable. Locations a short distance from severely affected areas may experience little or no impact, so even portions of EHD-affected counties may continue to need considerable antlerless harvest. As EHD-caused deer mortalities are confirmed through laboratory testing, the list of affected counties will be updated on the EHD page.
Venison from healthy deer harvested in areas affected by EHD is safe to eat. As with any wildlife, animals that appear sick should not be consumed.
Those who suspect they have found a deer that is sick or has died from EHD may submit a diseased wildlife report online.
The new regulations for the 2026 season may affect where and when hunters choose to hunt. Hunters are encouraged to review the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary when planning for the season.
More background on deer and deer hunting in Michigan: Michigan.gov/deer.
Wildlife publications page: Michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/wildlife-publications.
DNR where to hunt page: Michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/where.
Tips for safe hunting: Michigan.gov/HuntingSafety.
CWD testing page: Michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/wildlife-disease/disease-monitoring/cwd/cwd-testing.
Bovine tuberculosis testing page: Michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/wildlife-disease/disease-monitoring/bovine-tuberculosis/bovine-tuberculosis-testing.
DNR drop boxes and staffed sample submission sites for disease sampling: Michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/deer/deer-stations-disease-sample
DNR disease testing lab results: Michigan.gov/DNRlab.
Report suspected cases of EHD: Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField.
