- November 26, 2024
- Hunting Regulations
Fall 2024 Michigan Hunting Season: New Laws
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has released the deer hunting regulations for the hunting seasons that occur between August 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025.
Summary of New Regulations
Some of the new regulations in Michigan’s 2024-2025 deer hunting regulations include:
- Mandatory reporting of deer harvesting
- Reinstatement of antler point restrictions on single deer licenses in DMU 122
- Changes to antlerless harvest during late archery season in the Upper Peninsula
- Expansion of late antlerless firearm search to January 12, 2025, for several counties
- Early and late antlerless firearm seasons open on public and private lands in open DMUs
- Hunters in zones 2 and 3 may use any legal firearms during the muzzleloading deer season
Season Dates and Hunting Limits
Important dates for deer hunting seasons in Michigan for Fall 2024 include:
- Liberty Hunt – Statewide, September 14-15
- Early Antlerless Firearm Season – Lower Peninsula DMUs (except 115, 145, and 245), September 21-22
- Archery (Early) Season – Statewide, October 1-November 14
- Independence Hunt – Statewide, October 17-20, qualified hunters with disabilities only
- Regular Firearm Season – Statewide, November 15-30
- Archery (Late) Season – Statewide, December 1-January 1
- Muzzleloader Season – Statewide, December 6-15
- Late Antlerless Firearm Season – Lower Peninsula DMUs (except 115, 145, and 245), December 16-January 1
- Urban Archery Season – Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair (excluding DMU 174), Tuscola, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties, January 2-31
- Extended Late Antlerless Firearm Season – Allegan, Barry, Bay, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Mecosta, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, Shiawassee, St. Clair (excluding DMU 174), Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties, and DMUs 311 (Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties), 312 (Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Branch counties) and 332 (Huron, Tuscola, and Sanilac counties), January 2-12
Equipment Regulations
Hunters may not use various types of equipment to hunt deer, including:
- Snares
- Traps
- Cages
- Nets
- Pitfalls
- Deadfalls
- Spears
- Slingshots
- Fully automatic firearms
- Airbows
- Tracers
- Explosive bullets
- Drugs
- Poisons
- Anticoagulants
- Smoke
- Gas
- Explosives
Hunters must wear an outermost layer consisting of a cap, hat, vest, jacket, or raingear colored hunter orange while hunting with a firearm or hunting with archery equipment during firearm season.
Hunting Methods
Regulations on hunting methods for deer include:
- Hunters may not use baiting in the Lower Peninsula. Baiting can occur in the Upper Peninsula from September 15 through January 1.
- Individuals may not feed deer in the Lower Peninsula.
- Hunters may not hunt with dogs but may use leashed dogs to locate a killed or mortally wounded deer if those accompanying the tracker do not possess archery equipment or firearms.
- Hunters may hire commercial guides for deer hunting.
Contact a Hunting Violations Attorney
If you’ve received a citation for a hunting or fishing violation in Michigan, you need dedicated legal representation from a hunting and fishing violations defense attorney with extensive hunting experience for the best chance of a favorable resolution to your charges. Contact The Law Office of John Freeman today for a confidential consultation with our team to discuss your legal options.