Natural Resources Commission approves deer regulation changes for 2026 and 2027

Following extensive public input, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission on Wednesday approved several deer regulation changes for the 2026 and 2027 hunting seasons.

The seven-member citizen commission, appointed by the governor, acted on and amended recommendations developed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support healthy deer populations while balancing hunter opportunity and public feedback.

The department presented its recommendations to the commission in April. Under Michigan law, the NRC has the authority to issue wildlife orders and establish hunting regulations.

Changes for the 2026 deer seasons

The NRC's approved changes include:

• Elimination of the antlerless access drawing in the Upper Peninsula. Deer Management Units 351 and 352 have been rescinded. Hunters in the U.P. will only be able to use universal antlerless licenses in DMUs 022, 122, 155, 255, 121 and 055 during the 2026 season.
• Reduction of the Statewide Muzzleloader Season from 10 days to three days. The shortened season will begin on the first Friday in December. In the Lower Peninsula, any legal firearm may be used during this season, which will now be called the December Firearm Deer Season.
• Opening the Late Antlerless Season earlier, beginning on the Monday following the December Firearm Deer Season and continuing through Jan. 1. The season will be open across the Lower Peninsula except in Deer Management Units 245 (South Fox Island) and 145 (North Manitou Island). DMU 115 (Beaver and Garden islands) is now open for both early and late antlerless seasons.
• Elimination of the Limited Firearms Deer Zone in the Lower Peninsula, allowing the use of all legal firearms, including bottleneck cartridges, throughout the Lower Peninsula. Firearms larger than .22 rimfire are now permitted statewide.
• Authorization for residents with a valid senior deer license, senior deer combo license or senior antlerless deer license to use a crossbow during the Late Archery Deer Season in the U.P.
• Elimination of the Extended Late Antlerless and January Archery Seasons, concluding all deer hunting seasons after Jan. 1.
• Scheduling the Early Antlerless Firearm Deer Season to run concurrently with the Liberty Hunt during the second weekend in September. The Liberty and Early Antlerless seasons will be Sept. 12-13 this year.
• Authorization for the department to establish universal antlerless deer license use limits in consultation with the commission. The limits will be reviewed and published annually. This change applies limits on the number of universal antlerless licenses that hunters may use within individual DMUs or counties.

In addition, the commission approved several administrative changes for 2026, including:

• Allowing case-by-case exceptions to authorize wildlife rehabilitators to possess fawns for rehabilitation.
• Resolving a gap between DMUs 027 and 036. This gap existed in the Wildlife Conservation Order only.

The commission also approved several changes for the 2027 deer seasons in the Lower Peninsula only. Upper Peninsula deer regulations will remain unchanged in 2027.

Under the new regulations in the Lower Peninsula, starting with the 2027 deer hunting seasons:

• Buck harvest is limited to one buck per hunter.

• A single deer license will be valid for one deer with at least three antler points on one side or for one antlerless deer.
• A combo license will allow hunters to take one antlered deer and one antlerless deer, or two antlerless deer.
• Existing DMU-specific antler point restrictions will remain in place.

The commission also approved a pilot “earn a second buck” program in the southern Lower Peninsula (Zone 3) starting in 2027. Under the pilot program, hunters must first harvest an antlerless deer before becoming eligible to harvest a second buck with a four-point antler point restriction. The DNR will determine participating counties at a later date and will bring forward an order in July outlining the program parameters.

In addition, the commission expanded exceptions authorizing deer management assistance permits for the take of antlered deer causing horticultural damage because of the new one-buck limit in the Lower Peninsula. These exceptions will require approval from wildlife and law enforcement supervisors.

The DNR is preparing the 2026 deer hunting regulations summary, which will include complete season regulations and hunting information. Digital versions will be available first through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish mobile app and at Michigan.gov/Deer, followed by printed copies distributed to license retailers and DNR offices statewide.