The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is changing regulations for this fall’s deer hunt in hopes of curbing the rising deer population in the Lower Peninsula.

The changes include expanded doe hunting seasons and expanded hunter access programs.

“It might have a small additive effect in terms of overall harvest,” said Chad Stewart, DNR deer management specialist, “But I would not expect it to dramatically change the trajectory of our deer population.”

Stewart said a two-decade trend of a declining number of hunters has resulted in rising deer populations in the Lower Peninsula.

The DNR’s changes in the Upper Peninsula have a different goal: Boosting a declining deer population suffering from habitat issues.

Here’s a list of some of the proposed changes discussed by the DNR Commission Thursday: 

1. The Liberty and Independence hunts will now be antlerless only, statewide. This action was delayed to start until 2025 and is set to expire on July 12, 2029. (NRC)
2. A 3-point APR was implemented in DMU 122 in the Upper Peninsula (NRC)
3. Antlerless hunting with archery equipment in the UP is prohibited after December 10 for 027, 036, 152, 252, 021, 349, 249, 017, 117, and 149; buck hunting with archery equipment can continue with archery equipment through January 1 in these units(NRC)
4. Quotas are to be reduced in DMU 351 from 1,000 to 0 (DMI), and in 352 from 1,000 to 500 (NRC)
5. Archery season was extended to select counties (Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair (exception is DMU 174), Tuscola, and Washtenaw counties through January 31 (DMI with DNR specifics).
6. The Muzzleloader season in Zone 2 will now allow any legal firearms to be used, similar to Zone 3. The entirety of the LP muzzleloader season now allows the use of any firearm legal during the firearms season (NRC)
7. A late antlerless season that runs from January 2 through the second Sunday in January is available on both public and private lands in Bay, Midland, Isabella, Mecosta, Newayo, Saginaw, Gratiot, Montcalm, Muskegon, St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, Kent, Ottawa, Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, Ingham, Eaton, Barry, Allegan, Wayne, Washtenaw, Jackson, Calhoun, Monroe, Lenawee, and Hillsdale counties, as well as DMUs 311 (Berrien, Cass, Van Buren), 312 (Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Branch), and 332 (Huron, Tuscola, and Sanilac). This regulation sunsets in January of 2027. It appears this will require a separate license and have a separate bag limit tied to it.(NRC)
8. The early and late antlerless seasons are now open on both public and private land (DMI)
9. Changes to DMU 145 North Manitou Island (NPS)