Michigan's statewide muzzleloader season will be reduced from from 10 days to three days in 2026. The shortened season will begin on the first Friday in December. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has offered a summary of changes ahead for the 2026 deer seasons as approved this week by the Natural Resources Commission.

The department presented its recommendations to the commission in April. Under Michigan law, the NRC has the authority to issue wildlife orders and establish hunting regulations, the DNR said Friday in a news release.

The NRC’s approved changes include:

— Elimination of the antlerless access drawing in the Upper Peninsula. Deer Management Units 351 and 352 have been rescinded. Hunters in the U.P. will only be able to use universal antlerless licenses in DMUs 022, 122, 155, 255, 121 and 055 during the 2026 season.

— Reduction of the statewide muzzleloader season from 10 days to three days. The shortened season will begin on the first Friday in December. In the Lower Peninsula, any legal firearm may be used during this season, which will now be called the December Firearm Deer Season.

— Opening the late antlerless season earlier, beginning on the Monday following the December firearm deer season and continuing through Jan. 1. The season will be open across the Lower Peninsula except in Deer Management Units 245 (South Fox Island) and 145 (North Manitou Island). DMU 115 (Beaver and Garden islands) is now open for both early and late antlerless seasons.

— Elimination of the Limited Firearms Deer Zone in the Lower Peninsula, allowing the use of all legal firearms, including bottleneck cartridges, throughout the Lower Peninsula. Firearms larger than .22 rimfire are now permitted statewide.

— Authorization for residents with a valid senior deer license, senior deer combo license or senior antlerless deer license to use a crossbow during the late archery deer season in the U.P.

— Elimination of the extended late antlerless and January archery seasons, concluding all deer hunting seasons after Jan. 1.

— Scheduling the early antlerless firearm deer season to run concurrently with the Liberty Hunt during the second weekend in September. The Liberty and early antlerless seasons will be Sept. 12-13 this year.

— Authorization for the department to establish universal antlerless deer license use limits in consultation with the commission. The limits will be reviewed and published annually. This change applies limits on the number of universal antlerless licenses that hunters may use within individual DMUs or counties.

In addition, the commission approved several administrative changes for 2026, including:

— Allowing case-by-case exceptions to authorize wildlife rehabilitators to possess fawns for rehabilitation.

— Resolving a gap between DMUs 027 and 036. This gap existed in the Wildlife Conservation Order only.

The commission also approved several changes for the 2027 deer seasons in the Lower Peninsula only. Upper Peninsula deer regulations will remain unchanged in 2027.

Under the new regulations in the Lower Peninsula, starting with the 2027 deer hunting seasons:

— Buck harvest is limited to one buck per hunter.

— A single deer license will be valid for one deer with at least three antler points on one side or for one antlerless deer.

— A combo license will allow hunters to take one antlered deer and one antlerless deer, or two antlerless deer.

— Existing DMU-specific antler point restrictions will remain in place.

The commission also approved a pilot “earn a second buck” program in the southern Lower Peninsula (Zone 3) starting in 2027. The DNR will determine participating counties at a later date and will bring forward an order in July outlining the program parameters.

In addition, the commission expanded exceptions authorizing deer management assistance permits for the take of antlered deer causing horticultural damage because of the new one-buck limit in the Lower Peninsula. These exceptions will require approval from wildlife and law enforcement supervisors.

The DNR is preparing the 2026 deer hunting regulations summary, which will include complete season regulations and hunting information. Digital versions will be available first through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish mobile app and at Michigan.gov/Deer, followed by printed copies distributed to license retailers and DNR offices statewide.

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The Wisconsin DNR is warning of severe fire danger in some northern counties, including Vilas.

The agency is asking the public to be especially careful with any activities that could potentially lead to a wildland fire and check any fires from recent days to make sure they have been properly extinguished.

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The Michigan DNR’s Western Upper Peninsula Citizens’ Advisory Council is scheduled to be updated on a range of topics when the council meets Thursday in Ironwood.

The meeting will take place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central time at Gogebic Community College’s Lindquist Student and Conference Center, E4946 Jackson Road.

The council is scheduled to hear updates on the DNR’s wolf abundance trail camera survey and moose research study, review 2025 Upper Peninsula deer camp survey results and western Upper Peninsula trail conditions and learn about the latest snow survey methodology used for deer population forecasting.

For public comment instructions or additional details, please contact Kristi Dahlstrom at DahlstromK@Michigan.gov or 906-226-1331.

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The Michigan DNR reported this Upper Peninsula fishing activity:

Little Bay de Noc: This past week, anglers reported excellent smallmouth bass fishing despite windy conditions. Shallow areas with rock or vegetation were productive. Additionally, anglers reported catching bass near river mouths. Bass anglers had success with spinnerbaits, baitfish-sized soft plastics, and shallow jerk baits.

Yellow perch fishing improved this week. Most anglers reported catching fish in the shallows, although there were some reports from anglers fishing deep that the schools were sparse but actively biting in the morning and whenever a school was located. Anglers used perch rigs with minnows or worms.

Munising: The coho salmon bite was slow in the bay, but boat anglers trolling outside the bay and around Grand Island found some success, with a few rainbow trout also being caught. Anglers fishing off the Anna River mouth picked up a few splake, with spawn working best.

Manistique: Anglers reported good steelhead fishing in the river. Anglers drifted brightly colored beads under a float. Most anglers caught multiple steelhead per trip, as well as a few suckers as bycatch. The river dropped substantially this week, making for easier and more effective drifts.

Marquette: Steelhead fishing slowed back down this week, but there was an increase in fish reported by anglers trolling. Brown trout continued to be present for both boat anglers and anglers on the river. If fishing around the mouth did not work, anglers tried moving farther up the river, past the prison and into the Marquette Mountain area.

The Chocolay River was slow again this week. In the lower harbor, the coho salmon bite remained consistent this week. The average catch per boat increased from three last week to around four per boat this week.

Some very nice Chinook salmon were caught around Shot Point out toward the clay banks east of Granite Rock.

Keweenaw Bay: Anglers reported fair numbers of coho salmon, with an occasional brown trout being caught while trolling stick baits, spoons, and flasher-fly combinations in the upper portion of the water column. Whitefish anglers reported a slow bite. Shore anglers were able to catch a few splake and steelhead over the past week.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers trolling nearshore reported fair numbers of both lake trout and coho salmon while using stick baits and spoons. Anglers also reported the occasional brown trout or steelhead being caught.

Au Train: The Brownstone boat launch was accessible again. Steelhead began moving up the rivers two weeks ago, but fishing was hit or miss, while boaters continued to do very well and were still catching them by trolling near the river mouths. Coho salmon fishing for boat anglers remained very good this week. Boat anglers targeting lake trout reported doing well when jigging northeast of Au Train Island.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: The docks at all three launches were in the water. The fish cleaning station located at Ontonagon Marina was opened for the season. These ports experienced a fair amount of fishing effort over the past week, weather permitting. Angler reports consisted of catches of coho salmon, brown trout, and Chinook salmon, with occasional instances of steelhead and lake trout also being caught. Anglers found the most success while trolling in shallow waters. Shore anglers fishing in Union Bay reported catching a mix of coho salmon and brown trout.

Black River Harbor: Angling effort remained strong in the harbor as weather permitted. Angler reports consisted of catches of coho salmon and brown trout, with occasional instances of chinook salmon and steelhead also being caught. Those fishing within the harbor and from the break walls reported catches of coho salmon, brown trout, and occasional steelhead in low numbers.