Michigan muzzleloader season starts this weekend. What hunters should know

Michigan’s common firearms season is over, however hunters can nonetheless take part in muzzleloader season, which kicks off throughout the state this weekend.

This yr, Michigan hunters have already claimed greater than 229,000 deer. In the course of the common firearm deer season, hunters took a 129,494 deer, in keeping with the Michigan Division of Pure Assets reporting web site.

As muzzleloader season opens on Friday, December 5, there are some guidelines hunters ought to keep in mind, together with the varieties of weapons they’ll use and the place it’s authorized to take a deer.

“You can’t use a crossbow or a modified bow in the course of the muzzleloader deer season (December 5-14) within the Higher Peninsula except you’re a disabled hunter with a crossbow allow or a particular allow to hunt with a modified bow,” the DNR says on its web site. website.

Here is extra about what you must know forward of muzzleloader season.

What varieties of firearms are authorized throughout muzzleloader season?

Hunters could use any firearm authorized for the zone.

In Zone 1, within the UP, hunters will not be allowed to make use of a crossbow or a modified bow throughout muzzleloader deer season except they’re a disabled hunter with a crossbow allow or a particular allow to hunt with a modified bow.

In Zone 2, within the northern Decrease Peninsula, hunters could use any weapon that’s authorized in the course of the common firearms season.

In Zone 3, the southern Decrease Peninsula, hunters could take deer with a crossbow, bow or firearm that meets the next necessities:

• A shotgun with a smoothbore or rifled barrel of any measurement.
• A muzzleloading rifle or black powder pistol loaded with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute.
• A standard (smokeless powder) pistol of .35 caliber or bigger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges. It may be single or multi-shot, however can not exceed the utmost capability of 9 rounds within the barrel and journal mixed.
• A rifle of .35 caliber or bigger, loaded with straight-walled cartridges, with a minimal case size of 1.16 inches and a most case size of 1.80 inches. Examples embrace, however will not be restricted to, .350 legend, .360 Buckhammer, and .450 Bushmaster.
• An air rifle or pistol of .35 caliber or bigger that’s charged solely from an exterior high-compression energy supply.

Moreover, you aren’t allowed to hunt deer with a semi-automatic shotgun or a semi-automatic rifle that holds greater than six shells within the barrel and journal mixed.

Ought to I nonetheless put on orange throughout muzzleloader season?

The Hunter Orange necessities apply to anybody utilizing a muzzleloader or different firearm throughout muzzleloader season, the DNR mentioned. Hunter orange doesn’t apply to individuals who use a crossbow or archery gear to take deer in the course of the season.

Is it authorized to have a loaded firearm in my car?

Rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders and different firearms should be unloaded from each the barrel and journal and enclosed in a case or transported within the trunk of a car on personal or public property.

Crossbows and bows should be unloaded and unloaded or locked in a case or carried within the trunk of a car whereas that car is getting used on public property or on a freeway, street or road.

Is it authorized to ‘shine’ deer?

You need to not use synthetic lights (together with car headlights) to find wildlife at any time in November and on all different days of the yr between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM. You can’t use synthetic lights on a freeway or in a subject, swampland, woods or woods whereas in possession of a bow, crossbow, firearm or different system able to taking pictures a projectile. The DNR says it’s a violation of federal legislation to shine a light-weight on a nationwide wildlife refuge at any time.

Hunters could use synthetic lighting inside one hour after sundown when touring on foot to or from a searching location, so long as their weapon is unloaded.

The place can I discover a searching property close to me?

Basically, you may hunt on land you personal if it meets security rules. With permission you might also hunt on different personal land. Yow will discover locations to hunt by visiting Michigan.gov/MiHunt.

Some state parks permit searching, however nationwide wildlife refuges are closed to searching except expressly permitted.

Can I hunt deer from an elevated platform?

Sure. You possibly can hunt deer with a bow, crossbow or firearm on private and non-private lands from an elevated platform.

Upcoming dates for the 2025-26 Michigan deer searching season

Upcoming dates Deer hunting 2025-2026 seasons in Michigan:

• Archery: December 1 to January 1, 2026
• Superior archery: Via January 31, 2026, for choose counties: Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair (besides DMU 174), Tuscola, Washtenaw, and Wayne.
• Muzzle loading: December 5-14
• Late antlerless firearm: December 15 via January 1, 2026, on personal and public lands in Decrease Peninsula DMUs (excluding 115, 145 and 245).
• Prolonged late antlerless firearm: January 2-11, 2026

Jalen Williams is a trending reporter on the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.