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Universal antlerless licenses
Michigan Antlerless Deer Licenses and Use Limits
Universal antlerless licenses cost $20, need no application and may be bought up to 10 a year, but each Lower Peninsula county and Upper Peninsula unit caps how many a hunter may use there. Here is every use limit, the early and late antlerless firearm counties and the antlerless harvest.
Photo: YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Michigan dropped unit-by-unit antlerless quotas and drawings: the universal antlerless license is sold over the counter, and the 2026 deer summary sets use limits instead, the most universal antlerless licenses one hunter may use in a Lower Peninsula county or an Upper Peninsula DMU. Lower Peninsula limits run from 3 in 14 counties, most of them in the northern Lower Peninsula, to 10 in Alcona, Alpena, Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oscoda and Presque Isle; in the Upper Peninsula only DMUs 022, 055, 121, 122, 155 and 255 take universal licenses, and the other 16 UP units take none. The early antlerless firearm hunt (Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026) and the late antlerless firearm hunt (Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027) are held in 67 listed counties plus the DMU 045 part of Leelanau. DMA permits do not count toward the 10-license cap or the use limits.
2026 deer summary use-limit tables, WCO 3.101, checked October 22, 2026.
Lower Peninsula use limits by county
The limit is the number of universal antlerless licenses one hunter may use in that county.
Use limit 3
Antrim · Benzie · Charlevoix · Cheboygan · Crawford · Emmet · Grand Traverse · Kalkaska · Lake · Leelanau · Monroe · Otsego · Roscommon · Wexford
Use limit 5
Allegan · Arenac · Barry · Bay · Berrien · Branch · Calhoun · Cass · Clinton · Eaton · Genesee · Gratiot · Hillsdale · Huron · Ingham · Iosco · Isabella · Jackson · Kalamazoo · Lapeer · Lenawee · Livingston · Macomb · Manistee · Mason · Midland · Missaukee · Muskegon · Oakland · Ogemaw · Osceola · Ottawa · Saginaw · Sanilac · Shiawassee · St. Clair · St. Joseph · Tuscola · Van Buren · Washtenaw · Wayne
Use limit 10
Alcona · Alpena · Ionia · Kent · Mecosta · Montcalm · Montmorency · Newaygo · Oscoda · Presque Isle
Deer summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Upper Peninsula use limits by DMU
6 southern UP units are open to universal antlerless licenses; the rest are closed to them.
Deer summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Counties open to the early and late antlerless firearm hunts
67 counties, Sept. 12-13 and Dec. 7-Jan. 1.
Alcona · Allegan · Alpena · Antrim · Arenac · Barry · Bay · Benzie · Berrien · Branch · Calhoun · Cass · Charlevoix · Cheboygan · Clare · Clinton · Crawford · Eaton · Emmet · Genesee · Gladwin · Grand Traverse · Gratiot · Hillsdale · Huron · Ingham · Ionia · Iosco · Isabella · Jackson · Kalamazoo · Kalkaska · Kent · Lake · Lapeer · Lenawee · Livingston · Macomb · Manistee · Mason · Mecosta · Midland · Missaukee · Monroe · Montcalm · Montmorency · Muskegon · Newaygo · Oakland · Oceana · Ogemaw · Osceola · Oscoda · Otsego · Ottawa · Presque Isle · Roscommon · Saginaw · Sanilac · Shiawassee · St. Clair · St. Joseph · Tuscola · Van Buren · Washtenaw · Wayne · Wexford.
That portion of Leelanau County within DMU 045 (excludes North Manitou DMU 145 and South Fox DMU 245). All Upper Peninsula DMUs are closed.
WCO early and late antlerless county list, checked October 22, 2026.
Antlerless license prices and harvest
Hunters reported 142,150 antlerless deer for 2025.
| License | Resident 17-64 | Senior | Youth 10-16 | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal antlerless deer license | $20 | $20 | $20 | $20 |
| DMU 487 antlerless deer license | $5 | $5 | $5 | $5 |
| Single deer license | $20 | $8 | $20 | $20* |
| Deer combo license | $40 | $28 | $40 | $190 |
Deer summary fee table, DNR Harvest Report Summary, checked October 22, 2026.
Michigan antlerless deer questions
How many universal antlerless licenses can I buy in Michigan?
Up to 10 per license year, DMU 487 licenses included, with no application.
What is a use limit?
The most universal antlerless licenses one hunter may use in a Lower Peninsula county or an Upper Peninsula DMU in 2026.
Which counties allow 10 universal antlerless licenses?
Alcona, Alpena, Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oscoda and Presque Isle.
Can I use universal antlerless licenses in the Upper Peninsula?
Only in DMUs 022 (1), 055 (5), 121 (2), 122 (2), 155 (2) and 255 (2).
What is the DMU 487 antlerless license?
Discounted antlerless license for DMU 487 (Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda, Presque Isle); counts toward the 10-license limit. It costs $5.
When are the antlerless firearm hunts?
Early Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 and late Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, in the listed Lower Peninsula counties only.
Do DMA permits count toward the use limit?
Deer management assistance permits: antlerless only on the issued property (and adjacent private land with permission); not stand-alone; do not count toward the 10-license limit or use limits.
Can youth buy antlerless licenses?
Liberty Hunt Sept. 12-13, 2026 (youth 16 and under and qualifying hunters with disabilities); youth exempt from APRs; youth 16 and under may buy one antlerless license during any antlerless application period (WCO 3.102(7)(b)).