Firearm deer season starts Sunday

Published 8:58 am Thursday, November 12, 2015

deer

On Sunday, tens of thousands of Michigan residents and nonresidents will take to the fields and forests to enjoy deer hunting. The Department of Natural Resources would like to share a few helpful reminders with those who will be heading out to hunt.

The firearm deer season runs Nov. 15-30. Don’t forget to wear hunter orange.

A deer or deer combo license can be purchased at a license agent or online at E-License.

There are public- and private-land antlerless deer licenses still available.

Be aware of any antler point restrictions that may be in effect where you are hunting.

Deer hunting hours are found in the 2015 Hunting and Trapping Digest, which is available at mi.gov/dnrdigests.

Be aware of the baiting and feeding rules and restrictions for deer in Michigan.

Don’t forget to bring your deer to a DNR check station and pick up one of the DNR’s deer cooperator patches. Find the check station nearest you on the 2015 Deer Check Station Map.

Bovine tuberculosis is still a major concern in the northeastern Lower Peninsula deer herd, so please be sure to bring your deer to a check station if you hunt in DMU 487.

Due to finding chronic wasting disease in free-ranging deer in Ingham County, there is mandatory deer registration for the following townships in Clinton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties: Alaiedon, Bath, Delhi, DeWitt, Lansing, Meridian, Wheatfield, Williamstown and Woodhull.

Those still looking for places to hunt on public land can check out Mi-HUNT — a cutting-edge, Web-based, interactive mapping application that can help hunters plan their next trip.

Hunters who have filled their freezers but want to keep hunting are encouraged to consider donating a deer through Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. Find a participating processor at www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.