By Chad Stewart

Michigan DNR

LANSING — The 2023 Michigan firearm deer hunting season is right around the corner. As hundreds of thousands of deer hunters prepare to head to the state’s fields and forests in pursuit of whitetails, here’s a look at what they can expect to find in the Upper Peninsula.

whitetail buck in grassy field with forest in background

The winter of 2022-2023 was again severe, with several impactful snowfalls late in the winter, raising fears about a significant mortality event across much of the Upper Peninsula. While there was some adult and fawn mortality reported in select areas, major die-offs from the hard winter were again avoided.

Deer numbers remain low in many locations, especially along the Lake Superior shoreline and in the western counties and even some locations in the eastern U.P., which will again temper expectations of overall harvest in the U.P. The southern portions of the U.P., including parts of Menominee, Delta and even Dickinson counties, seem to have consistent deer numbers, and another good year is anticipated for those areas. But, to be clear, there will be places in the U.P. where deer densities remain low, and hunting efforts in some of these locations will prove extremely challenging.

Where oaks are present, acorn production looks good for this year, and bowhunters may find added success in emphasizing these areas early in the season.

The big news in the Upper Peninsula this year is that the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone, surrounding the lone detection of a deer with CWD, was lifted. After testing nearly 2,100 deer since 2018, no other CWD-positive animals were identified. This led the DNR to recommend, and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission to approve, the removal of this zone. Of course, hunters who still want to get their deer head tested can do so. The best way to understand your testing options is to visit Michigan.gov/CWD to see what options are available in the area you are hunting. Hunters in the previously defined CWD Surveillance Zone can resume baiting, which had been prohibited since the establishment of the zone.

Also returning will be the “hunter’s choice” deer regulations. This allows any legal buck (one with one antler 3 inches or longer) to be harvested on a single deer license, but hunters purchasing a deer combo license must hunt under an antler point restriction, using the regular tag to take a buck with at least three points per side and the restricted tag to take a buck with at least four points per side. The entire area of the former CWD Surveillance Zone will have these regulations, consistent with the surrounding units, which should simplify the regulations.

To learn more about which deer you can harvest in the area you hunt using each deer tag, see information about U.P. antler point restrictions in the 2023 Michigan Hunting Regulations Summary.