SUCCESSFUL HUNTERS ARE encouraged to send photos to The Daily News at news@ironmountaindailynews.com. Please include the hunter’s name, community of residence and, at a minimum, the number of antler points and the county in which the deer was taken. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources photo)

Light snow is predicted in the Dickinson County area for Tuesday’s opener of the Michigan firearm deer season.

New snowfall of less than an inch is possible overnight with snow showers likely during the day, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature Tuesday will be about 34, with easterly wind gusts as high as 15 mph.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is optimistic there will be a slight increase in the overall Upper Peninsula deer harvest this season, based on summer observations.

The DNR strongly encourages nonhunters to wear bright colors, especially hunter orange, and be aware of their surroundings near woods or fields where hunting may occur. Hunters are advised to wear as much hunter orange as possible to increase visibility to other hunters.

For the first time, hunters taking a deer in Michigan will be required to report their harvest online through Michigan’s new harvest reporting system or recently developed mobile app. Successful hunters will have up to 72 hours to report their harvest.

“Our new system, with its corresponding public-facing dashboard, will show hunters every day how the deer harvest is progressing across the season, with up-to-date accounts on total harvest in the state, harvest by county, season harvest and even harvest by day,” said Chad Stewart, Michigan DNR deer, elk and moose management specialist.

Hunters reporting deer harvested in disease priority areas will receive notifications and instructions on submitting their deer for testing, should they choose to volunteer their deer for either chronic wasting disease or bovine tuberculosis testing.

In approved Upper Peninsula baiting areas, 2 gallons of bait can be spread in an area that measures 10 feet by 10 feet. On commercial forest land, bait must be brought in each night, unless the landowner has given permission.

Baiting and feeding are banned in the entire Lower Peninsula and in the core chronic wasting disease surveillance area in the Upper Peninsula, which includes parts of Delta, Dickinson and Menominee counties. There are exceptions for hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements.