The Michigan Division of Assets is proposing a restrict of 1 antlered deer throughout its whitetail season, which might be introduced to the Michigan Pure Assets Fee immediately. This is able to be a change from its statewide bag restrict of two antlered deer per 12 months (besides in DMU 117, the place the bag restrict is one antlered deer).
Deer looking within the state has declined over the many years, leading to an abundance of deer within the Decrease Peninsula in addition to will increase in crop injury and deer-related automobile collisions. Within the Higher Peninsula, the deer inhabitants is decrease on account of robust winters and habitat loss. In consequence, the DNR additionally not too long ago enacted an prolonged late antlerless firearm season within the southern half of the state, encouraging hunters to reap extra does in an effort to scale back deer-human conflicts, enhance the doe-to-buck ratio, and assist bucks attain older, extra mature age courses, based on FOX 17. The one-buck proposal intends to additional encourage tagging extra antlerless deer, and may encourage hunters to be extra selective about bucks, ensuing within the harvest of extra mature deer.
“This advice would guarantee all deer licenses require or embody choices for taking antlerless deer, which might shift Michigan’s deer harvest ratio away from the persistent bias in the direction of antlered deer,” based on the proposal from the Michigan DNR.
In accordance with a Fb submit from the DNR, the company is not going to determine on the proposals till at the very least its subsequent assembly on Could 13. If authorised, the one-buck restrict would take impact March 1, 2027.
If a one-buck rule is enacted, right here is how deer licenses could be bought in each the Higher and Decrease Peninsula:
Single deer license
Decrease Peninsula: Antlerless solely
Higher Peninsula: Antlerless deer in archery solely or an antlered deer
Combo deer license
Decrease Peninsula:
Common Tag: One both intercourse deer
Restricted Tag: One antlerless deer
Higher Peninsula:
Common Tag: One antlerless deer in archery solely or an antlered deer with a minimal three-point antler restriction
Restricted Tag: Antlerless deer in archery solely
What number of deer have hunters harvested in recent times in Michigan?
2025
Whole: 295,845
Antlered: 153,696
Antlerless: 142,149
2024
Whole: 299,492
Antlered: 157,271
Antlerless: 142,221
2023
Whole: 274,282
Antlered: 155,649
Antlerless: 118,633
Michigan has a whitetail inhabitants of round 1.7 million (information taken from the 2026 Deer Hunters’ Almanac).
Along with the one-buck restrict, the DNR can be proposing to shorten the muzzleloader season, begin the late antlerless firearm season earlier, and mix the Liberty Hunt with the early antlerless firearm season.
