IRON MOUNTAIN — Temperatures reached well into the 70s and the 80s in some locations over weekend as Michigan had its annual Liberty Hunt and Wisconsin opens its archery and crossbow deer seasons.

Deer hunters age 16 or younger and individuals with qualifying disabilities may participate in the Liberty Hunt. Hunters age 9 and younger must be licensed through the Mentored Hunting Program and accompanied by a qualified mentor.

The use of firearms, crossbows and other legal equipment is allowed during the Liberty Hunt, which is today and Sunday. Hunter orange is required.

In Wisconsin, more than 3,000 bonus antlerless harvest authorizations remain available in Florence County but for private land only. Wisconsin’s youth deer hunt is slated for Oct. 5-6.

Given the warm weather, deer hunters needed a strategy for handling their harvests. On Wisconsin’s bear opener, Millan’s Custom Butchering in Armstrong Creek, reported 25 successful hunters and urged customers to call ahead to schedule processing.

The mild winter of 2023-24 should help reinvigorate a deer herd that took a hit in 2022-23. More young deer are likely to be in the woods this fall, with more mature deer present in successive years.

Michigan’s ruffed grouse, small game and fall turkey seasons opened Sunday. Wisconsin’s opener for those same species was Saturday. According to wildlife biologists, an above-average nesting and rearing season should result in good numbers of turkeys and ruffed grouse.

Michigan’s youth waterfowl hunting weekend is Sept. 21-22, while Wisconsin’s was over the weekend.

Anglers taking part in the hook and line season for lake sturgeon on the Menominee River should be aware that some sturgeon may have a tag near their dorsal fin. If a tagged sturgeon is caught, the person is asked to submit this information to the county’s fisheries biologist to help the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in future management practices:

— Where the fish was caught (county, waterbody and location).

— The date of the catch.

— Tag number, color and material composition of the tag (i.e., metal or plastic).

— Overall fish length.

If the fish is released, please leave the tag attached.