Michigan: New Deer Laws for Upper and Lower Peninsulas

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has made new deer hunting regulations for the 2024 season that hunters need to know about.

Michigan DNR Have Been Working on New Rule Changes for Deer Hunting

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has worked for the past few years on ways to manage the deer herds in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The two herds are much different and what may be good for the Upper may be different for the Lower and vice versa.

The DNR even reached out to local hunters, hunting clubs, farmers, and any citizen who might bring something to the table about how to handle the deer herds in the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. I applied to be a part of the discussion but was denied.

From looking at the new rules it seems an effort was made to better both herds in the Upper and Lower Peninsula but once again leaning more toward auto insurance companies than the sport of deer hunting.

Read More: DNR Looking at New Ways to Manage Deer Herd And You Can Help

New Deer Hunting Regulations for Michigan

Below are the new deer hunting regulations that will go into effect in 2024 and 2025. Some of these rules are for the Lower Peninsula, others for the Upper Peninsula, and in some cases both.

• The doe season for the Lower Penisula has been extended antlerless firearm season in select counties to the second Saturday in January. 10 antlerless deer can be harvested with licenses for $5 each.
• The Upper Peninsula has a 3-point antler point restriction that was brought back into effect in Unit 122. Units 351 and 352 lowered quotas to zero and 500 respectively.
• In Zone 2 of the Lower Peninsula, the muzzleloader season will allow any legal firearm.
• In 2025, the Liberty and Independence huts will be antlerless deer-only
• Urban archery seasons have been extended in many Lower Peninsula Counties

The DNR didn't pass the one-buck rule, or the antler point restrictions and said no to reinstating baiting in the Lower Peninsula. I get not bringing back the baiting since the DNR is still battling the chronic wasting disease but the other shows they missed the mark once again.

I temporarily lived in Indiana where they implemented the one buck rule and antler point restrictions and I was mad about it but after seeing the results I was glad they did it. Indiana now has some of the best deer hunting in the country with barely any swamps or hardwoods. Michigan should have adopted that rule. With the doe extensions in place, this would have made larger bucks for hunters, made a better balance between bucks and does, and after about 4 years the state would have created a healthier herd with better hunting.

I'm sure it is a work in progress but why drag your feet DNR, the people spoke and you only heard part of what they had to say.