Would you keep dogs if you could only use them twice a day for 3 weeks a year? I imagine people also take more marginal shots because the season is so short and limited.
That's just gun hunting......Their bow season runs from Oct-Jan......They also have several antlerless gun seasons......If I didnt have a wife and kids I'd probably pull an Idahomike and take off up there to track......I could get in on waaaaay more tracking opportunities than what we have here......Our quality has gone to chit for the most part
Here's there season structure.....Its actually a pretty good setup for producing a quality herd in my opinion
• Liberty (youth) hunt: Sept. 13-14
• Early antlerless firearm: Sept. 20-21
• Independence hunt: Oct. 16-19
• Archery: Oct. 1 to Nov. 14, and Dec. 1 to Jan. 1, 2026
• Extended Archery: Through Jan. 31, 2026, for select counties: Huron, Kent, Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland, Sanilac, St. Clair (except DMU 174), Tuscola, Washtenaw and Wayne.
• Regular firearm: Nov. 15-30
• Muzzleloading: Dec. 5-14
• Late antlerless firearm: Dec. 15 to Jan. 1, 2026, on private and public lands in Lower Peninsula DMUs (excluding 115, 145 and 245).
• Extended late antlerless firearm: Jan. 2-11, 2026
