Taking advantage of seasons or special hunts for antlerless deer is a great way to get in some additional hunting, even in another state, and put a few more backstraps in your freezer.

The application period for antlerless deer licenses is now open through Aug. 15, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Hunters may apply for one license in any open Deer Management Unit (DMU) statewide; a nonrefundable $5 fee is charged at the time of application. Drawing results and leftover license availability may be viewed at this site beginning Sept. 4.

Antlerless deer quotas have been reduced to about 494,000 licenses statewide, down from about 550,000 for 2013. In the Upper Peninsula, licenses are available only in DMUs 122, 055 and 155, and have been eliminated in other Upper Peninsula DMUs due to the severe winter of 2013-2014 and the resulting losses in the deer herd.

License quotas for each DMU can be found at www.michigan.gov/deer.

Learn the Best Hunting Secret to Killing More Bucks This Season!

Hunters may apply for one private-land or public-land license at E-License, or at any authorized license agent or DNR Customer Service Center. Young hunters, ages 9-16, can also purchase one junior antlerless deer license over the counter July 15 – Aug. 15. No application is required. A 9-year-old must be 10 by Sept. 15 to purchase this license.

To avoid license purchase delays and possible sell-out of licenses, hunters are encouraged to apply for the antlerless deer license of their choice. Any leftover antlerless deer licenses not issued in the drawing will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. EDT until license quotas are met. In many DMUs, leftover licenses may be unavailable or very limited in number.

PLEASE NOTE: In the printed 2014 Antlerless Deer Digest, DMU 115 is listed as open during the early and late antlerless firearm deer seasons. This is an error. DMU 115 is open only during the Liberty, Independence, archery, regular firearm and muzzleloader seasons. 

For more information about the antlerless opportunities, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests.

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