Michigan Cuts Upper Peninsula Muzzleloader Season
The Michigan DNR's 2026 deer hunting preview shows reduced muzzleloader days, rescinded units and no antlerless permits in the Upper Peninsula.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Hunting
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources published its 2026 deer hunting preview, cutting the Upper Peninsula muzzleloader season from 10 days to three. No antlerless deer hunting access permits are offered in the Upper Peninsula for 2026, and Deer Management Units 351 and 352 have been rescinded.
Why it matters
The changes follow a second consecutive harsh Upper Peninsula winter with deep snow and late-season storms that delayed spring green-up. Fawn recruitment may be lower than average this spring and summer, and deer condition may be below average heading into the season, though population impacts are expected to be localized.
The Upper Peninsula muzzleloader season drops from 10 days to three, and hunters may purchase up to 10 universal antlerless licenses. Bait may be used September 15 through January 1 but cannot exceed 2 gallons per hunting site.
The players
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The state agency that manages Michigan's fish, wildlife and forest resources, including roughly 4.6 million acres of public land.
The details
Universal antlerless licenses may be used in the six southernmost Upper Peninsula units, subject to unit-level limits. The DNR is not conducting focused chronic wasting disease collection in the Upper Peninsula in 2026, but hunters can request free lymph node extraction kits with overnight shipping and must submit samples to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Timeline
Spring 2026: fawn recruitment expected to be lower than average.
September 12-13, 2026: Liberty Hunt for youth and qualifying disabled hunters.
September 15, 2026: Upper Peninsula bait use period begins.
First weekend in December 2026: Upper Peninsula three-day muzzleloader season.
January 1, 2027: Upper Peninsula bait use period ends.
Season Trajectory
This continues a pattern of tightening Upper Peninsula deer hunting rules after repeated severe winters. The DNR's decision to drop focused CWD collection in 2026 marks a departure from earlier surveillance efforts.
Hunters planning Upper Peninsula trips should note the three-day muzzleloader season and the September 15 bait start date. Because no antlerless access permits are offered in the Upper Peninsula this year, hunters should rely on universal antlerless licenses where they are valid.
The takeaway
Check your unit's status before buying licenses, since rescinded units and reduced seasons change where and when you can hunt. Plan bait use and CWD sample submission ahead of the September start.
Further reading
Explore more on Hunting for seasons, regulations and tips across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Press.
