Michigan Sets Deer Hunting Hours Before Nov. 15
The Michigan DNR has set legal deer hunting hours ahead of firearm season opening day on Sunday, November 15.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Hunting
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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has set legal hunting hours for deer season as early archery season wraps up. Firearm opening day for deer season is Sunday, November 15.
Why it matters
Hunting hours in Michigan are set by state law, with hunting allowed from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Because those times shift daily and vary by time zone, hunters need to adjust the published table to know when they can legally hunt.
Under state law, hunting starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset, with times adjusted for Daylight Savings Time. Hunters in Zone B add six minutes to table times, while hunters in Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson or Menominee counties subtract one hour for Central Standard Time.
The players
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The state agency responsible for managing Michigan's fish, wildlife, and natural resources, including the setting of hunting seasons and legal hunting hours.
The details
Legal hunting times shift slightly each day, so the DNR publishes a table based on Time Zone A. Hunters west of Zone A must adjust times using the DNR map, and most of the St. Ignace News coverage area falls in Zone B, which requires adding six minutes to both start and end times.
Timeline
Early archery deer season wraps up before November 15, 2026.
Firearm deer season opens Sunday, November 15, 2026.
Legal Context
Michigan's hunting-hour rule ties legal hunting to half an hour before sunrise through half an hour after sunset under state law. The DNR's time-zone table applies that statutory rule to the November 15 firearm opener, adjusting for regional time differences across the state.
Hunters in Michigan need to check the DNR table for their time zone before heading out, since hunting is legal only from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Adjustments of six minutes for Zone B or one hour for certain Central Standard Time counties can change when you can legally start hunting.
The takeaway
Check the DNR time table for your specific zone and county before the November 15 opener, since applying the wrong adjustment can put you outside legal hunting hours.
What happens next
Firearm deer season opens Sunday, November 15, 2026, when legal hunting hours will apply under the published table.
Further reading
For more on seasonal outdoor pursuits, explore our Hunting coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The St. Ignace News -.
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