Overview
Known For
Michigan is known for its rich, passionate hunting history, especially for whitetail, duck, turkey, and black bear. There are limited opportunities for elk hunting, too.
Terrain
Michigan’s terrain is primarily rolling hills and heavily-forested low mountains in the southernmost part and flatlands interspersed with hills in the northernmost section. On its western edge is Lake Michigan, the third largest of the Great Lakes and the only one entirely within the United States.
Michigan Hunting Seasons
| Season | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Bear – Zone 1 (Part 1)
BMU: Bergland, Baraga, Amasa, Carney, Gwinn, Newberry, Drummond Island |
Sep 6, 2023 | Oct 21, 2023 |
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Bear – Zone 2 (Part 1)
BMU: Red Oak, Baldwin, and Gladwin |
Sep 9, 2023 | Sep 19, 2023 |
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Bear – Zone 1 (Part 2)
BMU: Bergland, Baraga, Amasa, Carney, Gwinn, and Newberry |
Sep 11, 2023 | Oct 26, 2023 |
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Bear – Zone 1 (Part 3)
BMU: Bergland, Baraga, Amasa, Carney, Gwinn, and Newberry |
Sep 25, 2023 | Oct 26, 2023 |
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Bear – Zone 2 (Part 2)
BMU: Red Oak, Baldwin, and Gladwin |
Oct 6, 2023 | Oct 12, 2023 |
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Coyote
No limit.
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Jan 1, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
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Deer – Liberty Hunt
Youth and hunters with disabilities hunt
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Sep 9, 2023 | Sep 10, 2023 |
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Deer – Early Antlerless Firearm
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Sep 16, 2023 | Sep 17, 2023 |
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Deer – Early Archery
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Oct 1, 2023 | Nov 14, 2023 |
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Deer – Independence Hunt
Hunters with disabilities.
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Oct 19, 2023 | Oct 22, 2023 |
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Deer – Regular Firearm
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Nov 15, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
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Deer – Late Archery
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Dec 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Deer – Muzzleloader
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 10, 2023 |
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Deer – Late Antlerless Firearm
Bag limit 1 per kill tag.
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Dec 11, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Duck – North (Early)
North Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Sep 30, 2023 | Nov 26, 2023 |
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Duck – Middle (Early)
Middle Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Oct 7, 2023 | Dec 3, 2023 |
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Duck – South (Early)
South Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Oct 14, 2023 | Dec 10, 2023 |
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Duck – North (Late)
North Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Dec 2, 2023 | Dec 3, 2023 |
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Duck – Middle (Late)
Middle Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Dec 16, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 |
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Duck – South (Late)
South Zone. Bag limit 6 per day.
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Dec 30, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
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Elk – Unit X (Part 1)
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Aug 29, 2023 | Sep 1, 2023 |
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Elk – Unit X (Part 2)
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Sep 15, 2023 | Sep 18, 2023 |
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Elk – Unit X (Part 3)
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Sep 29, 2023 | Oct 2, 2023 |
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Elk – Unit H, I, X
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Dec 9, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 |
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Fox
No limit.
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Oct 15, 2023 | Mar 1, 2024 |
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Goose – North Zone
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Sep 1, 2023 | Dec 16, 2023 |
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Goose – Middle Zone (Part 1)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Sep 1, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
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Goose – South Zone (Part 1)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Sep 1, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 |
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Goose – Middle Zone (Part 2)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Oct 7, 2023 | Dec 22, 2023 |
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Goose – South Zone (Part 2)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Oct 14, 2023 | Dec 10, 2023 |
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Goose – South Zone (Part 3)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Dec 30, 2023 | Jan 7, 2024 |
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Goose – South Zone (Part 4)
Dark Goose Limit: 5 (Canada, Brant, White-fronted) Light Goose Limit: 20 (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) |
Feb 3, 2024 | Feb 12, 2024 |
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Ruffed Grouse – Zone 1-2 (Early)
Ruffed grouse bag limit 5 per day.
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Sep 15, 2023 | Nov 14, 2023 |
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Sharp-tailed Grouse
Zone 1. Bag limit 2 per day.
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Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 31, 2023 |
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Ruffed Grouse – Zone 1-2 (Late)
Ruffed grouse bag limit 5 per day.
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Dec 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Pheasant – Zone 1
Bag limit 2 per day (male only).
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Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 31, 2023 |
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Pheasant – Zone 2-3
Bag limit 2 per day (male only).
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Dec 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2024 |
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Quail
Bag limit 5 per day.
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Oct 20, 2023 | Nov 14, 2023 |
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Rabbit – Cottontail & Snowshoe Hare
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Sep 15, 2023 | Mar 31, 2024 |
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Turkey – Spring Private Land Only
Hunt Unit: ZZ. Limited license drawing. Is not valid on public lands.
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Apr 22, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Statewide
Guaranteed-license hunt (no application required) except on public lands in Hunt Unit ZZ.
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Apr 22, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 2
Hunt Unit: M. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 22, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 3 Part 1
Hunt Unit: K. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 22, 2023 | Apr 28, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 1
Hunt Unit: A, B, E, F, J. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 22, 2023 | May 5, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 4 Part 1
Hunt Unit: ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZE, ZF. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 22, 2023 | May 28, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 3 Part 2
Hunt Unit: K. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 29, 2023 | May 5, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 4 Part 2
Hunt Unit: ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZE, ZF. Limited license drawing.
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Apr 29, 2023 | May 12, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 4 Part 3
Hunt Unit: ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZE, ZF. Limited license drawing.
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May 13, 2023 | May 31, 2023 |
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Turkey – Spring Area 4 Part 4
Hunt Unit: ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZE, ZF. Limited license drawing.
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Jun 1, 2023 | Jun 7, 2023 |
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Turkey – Fall
Hunt Unit: G, GB, GC, J, L, M. T, W, WA, HA, YY. Bag limit 1 tukey either-sex. Limited license drawing.
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Sep 16, 2023 | Nov 15, 2023 |
Michigan Licenses, Permits, and Regulations
Michigan hunting licenses, permits, and regulations for resident and non-resident hunters can be purchased on the official website of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Click below to view the website.
Hunting GPS Maps
Every Michigan hunter should have hunting GPS maps on hand. Michigan hunting maps are available from onX Hunt. With a paid membership you can access Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid Basemaps, over which you can view maps of deer hunting zones, along with State, Forest Service, and other public and private property boundaries. You can view trails and roads, and even download maps to the Hunt App for use offline. Click below to get onX Hunt for Michigan.
Hunting Zones
Michigan is divided into Hunting and Trapping Zones 1, 2, and 3. Zone 1 includes all of the Upper Peninsula. In addition to defined hunting zones, there are different hunting zones for waterfowl hunting and limited rifle deer zone. Legal shooting times differ within the state as well because Michigan includes parts of the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone. Click below to view Michigan’s hunting zones in more detail through an interactive map.
Hunting Layers
MI Private Lands
Over 4,100,000 parcels mapped by the onX team, this layer helps you know who the property owners are in Michigan. Tap any parcel to learn more info about the owner and acreage.
MI Gov Lands
onX has the most accurate public lands maps with over 9,200,000 acres in Michigan to help you plan your next adventure. Tap any public land parcel to learn more.
MI Hunt Mgmt Units
Michigan Bear, Bobcat, Deer, Deer Multicounty, Deer Multicounty Regional, and Elk Hunt Management Units. Please hunt responsibly and have a safe legal hunt.
Includes 7 Sublayers
- Bear Hunt Units
- Bobcat Hunt Units
- Deer Mgmt Units (DMUs)
- DMU Multicounty
- DMU Multicounty Regional
- Elk (Sept/Oct) Hunt Units
- Elk (December) Hunt Units
MI Possible Access
onX has mapped 350,000 acres of possible access lands in Michigan including timber companies and land conservation groups. Research rules on these private lands before recreating.
MI Commercial Forest Program
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Commercial Forests. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
MI Hunting Access Program
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Hunting Access Program. All hunters are expected to know the rules of the program. Please hunt responsibly and have a safe legal hunt.
MI Limited Firearm Deer Zone Boundary
Michigan Limited Firearm deer hunting boundary. South of this line firearms have more restrictions. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
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