Michigan DNR ‘Pilot Program’ Extends Archery Deer Season Until January 2018
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.28.17
Deer hunters in southeast Michigan: Your hunting season isn’t over just yet.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has decided to extend the archery deer hunting season for three counties in southeast Michigan. According to CBS Detroit, this “Pilot Program” opens up archery hunting for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties only until January 31, 2018.
DNR officials are expecting the extended season to help cities that have seen an increase in deer populations.
“There can be excellent hunting opportunities available for archery hunters in January,” said Chad Stewart, DNR deer specialist. “This extended season also could be used to help benefit municipalities by using archers as a low-cost first attempt to resolve their urban deer conflicts.”
The DNR would like to remind hunters that some bucks may have shed their antlers and now appear as antlerless deer. Hunters can identify whether a deer is a doe or a shed buck by looking closely at the top of its head. Bucks that have shed their antlers will have two circular markings on the tops of their head indicating where the antlers detached. Shed bucks may be tagged as antlerless deer; however, the DNR encourages hunters to harvest does on antlerless licenses when possible.
