DNR Pilot Program Extends Bow Hunting Season In Southeast Michigan

(WWJ) - Deer hunters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties will have a little longer to bag a buck.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will start a pilot program in January that extends archery deer hunting season in these three counties until January 31, 2018.

The program will be evaluated after January 2019 to determine if it will continue. All rules for the archery season will still apply.

DNR officials say the extended season could help cities that have been dealing with high numbers of deer.

"There can be excellent hunting opportunities available for archery hunters in January," said Chad Stewart, DNR deer specialist. "This extended season also could be used to help benefit municipalities by using archers as a low-cost first attempt to resolve their urban deer conflicts."

The DNR reminds hunters to be aware that some bucks may have shed their antlers and now appear as antlerless deer. Hunters are encouraged to identify whether an animal is a doe or a shed buck by looking closely at the top of its head before making their harvest decision. Bucks that have shed their antlers will have two circular markings on the tops of their head indicating where the antlers detached. Shed bucks may be tagged as antlerless deer; however, the DNR encourages hunters to harvest does on antlerless licenses when possible.

Archery deer hunting rules and regulations can be found in the 2017 Hunting and Trapping Digest. Get more information about hunting in Michigan, here.