--- title: "Detroit Hunting" url: https://www.heredetroit.com/hunting-detroit-mi/ date: 2026-06-18T20:59:15-04:00 modified: 2026-06-18T21:11:45-04:00 author: "" site: "HERE Detroit" attribution: "HERE Detroit" --- # Detroit Hunting *Source: [HERE Detroit](https://www.heredetroit.com/hunting-detroit-mi/) — June 18, 2026 by * HEREDetroit # Detroit MI Hunting Report Live conditions, season status, solunar ratings, WMA profiles, and community hunting coverage for Wayne and Lower Peninsula. Hog: Open Year-Round Turkey: Closed Dove: Closed Deer: Open Lower Peninsula **0** WMAs Profiled **Live** Hunt Conditions **Solunar** Rating **2026** Season Guide First Look • Hunt Conditions 🌘 Waning Crescent Illumination: 4% Sunrise 7:11 am Sunset 5:19 pm Temp 45°F Wind 9 mph Weather as of 10:35 AM ET Excellent — decreasing moon, peak dawn and dusk movement expected. 87 PRIME Prime hunting conditions. Get in the stand early. Lower Peninsula • Wayne ## Detroit Hunting Season Status Whitetail Deer OPEN **Season Dates**Archery: Oct 1–Nov 14 and Dec 1–Jan 1. Regular firearm: Nov 15–30. December firearm (LP): Dec 4–6. Late antlerless (LP): Dec 7–Jan 1. Liberty Hunt / early antlerless: Sept 12–13. Independence Hunt (qualified disabilities): Oct 15–18. **Bag Limit:**Bag/antlerless licenses and DMU quotas apply — check your deer management unit at Michigan.gov/Deer before buying tags. See MDNR 2026 deer summary for equipment rules and DMU-specific antlerless access. Michigan hunting license + deer license(s) required. Harvest reporting via MDNR Hunt Fish app / Michigan.gov. Limited Firearms Deer Zone eliminated statewide as of Sept 12, 2026. per [MDNR](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/deer) · verified 2026-10-07 OPEN YEAR-ROUND **Season Dates**No set season. Feral swine are a prohibited invasive species in Michigan and a public nuisance under state law (MCL 433.14a), so they may be taken year-round under the rules below. **Bag Limit:**No bag limit. Report feral swine sightings and kills to MDNR. Do not relocate live animals. Report sightings to MDNR. On public land, anyone with a valid Michigan hunting license for any game or a concealed pistol license may kill feral swine. On private land, the owner, or someone with the owner's permission, may. Local firearm and hunting ordinances still apply. per [MDNR](https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-433-14a) · verified 2026-10-17 Wild Turkey CLOSED **Season Dates**2026 spring turkey: TMU hunts begin as early as Apr 18; statewide hunt (0234) May 2–31. Exact TMU (M/NN/ZZ) dates and quotas vary — verify at Michigan.gov/DNR spring turkey summary. **Bag Limit:**One bearded turkey per spring license (see license terms). Mandatory harvest reporting within 72 hours. Spring turkey applications typically Jan 1–Feb 1; season opens mid-to-late April depending on TMU. Spring turkey license required (drawing/application Jan 1–Feb 1 for limited hunts). Report harvest via MDNR Hunt Fish app or online. per [MDNR](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/spring-turkey) · verified 2026-10-07 CLOSED **Season Dates**Mourning dove is not currently a designated game species in Michigan — no open dove hunting season. (Legislation such as HB 5068 has been introduced historically but is not an open season.) **Bag Limit:**N/A — no open mourning dove season in Michigan. No open mourning dove season in Michigan as of seed date. Do not hunt mourning doves in Michigan unless/until the Legislature and Natural Resources Commission authorize a season. Verify current status at Michigan.gov/DNR. per [MDNR](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr) · verified 2026-10-07 Season dates shown are for Lower Peninsula private lands. WMA dates, license requirements, and antlerless regulations may differ. Always verify current regulations with MDNR before hunting. [Report a Season Update](/submit-a-tip/?topic=report-a-season-update) Hunting Report Partners [Dick's Sporting Goods](https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/c/hunting) [Bass Pro Shops](https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/hunting) [Cabelas](https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/hunting) [Academy Sports](https://www.academy.com/hunting) First Look ## Detroit Hunting Weather Now 45F Cloudy Feels like 40°F as of 10:35 AM ET Wind 9 mph WNW Humidity 70% Pressure 1018 hPa Moon Waning Crescent Location Detroit, MI Field Scout Tips - Deer season is open — focus today's hunt on deer. Also open: Hog. - Cool temps in the optimal range — deer are on their feet. Expect movement throughout shooting hours. - Dark moon nights push deer to move in legal shooting hours at dawn and dusk. Be at your stand early. Solunar Index ## Detroit Hunt Conditions Today Temperature 45°F Optimal Wind Speed 9 mph Moderate Barometric 1018 hPa High — Active Moon Phase 🌘 Prime PRIME Prime hunting conditions. Get in the stand early. Extended Outlook ## Detroit Hunt Forecast — 5 Days TODAY Mostly Cloudy 52° / 35° 10 mph wind FAIR SUN Mostly Sunny 58° / 39° 13 mph wind GOOD MON Mostly Sunny 57° / 43° 8 mph wind GOOD TUE Sunny 64° / 38° 10 mph wind GOOD VET Partly Sunny 55° / 37° 5 mph wind GOOD Public Hunting Lands ## Detroit Michigan Wildlife Management Areas Did We Miss a Spot? Know a Detroit-area hunting land, WMA, or public access parcel that should be on this list? Let us know. [Report a Hunting Spot](/submit-a-tip/?topic=report-a-hunting-spot) [Launch Special$1 a day for up to 90 days — Best deal in Detroit Reach all the Hunting traffic in Detroit — it’s a deal! Find out how](#hr-banner-form) Launch Special Your Banner *Here* $1/day Up to **90 days** at the launch rate. Cancel anytime. - Drop us your website URL — we build the banner for you - Runs above the **Community Reviews** section - No contract. No setup fee. Cancel anytime. - Local Detroit hunters see your business every visit Your Name * Business Name * Website URL * Email * Phone (optional) How long would you like to reserve it? Daily $1 Weekly $7 30 days $30 60 days $60 90 days $90 Lock in $1/day — Build my banner No payment now. We email a preview within one business day. Your launch rate is locked when you approve. Community Reviews ## Detroit Hunting Reviews Share Your Hunt Hunted a Detroit-area WMA or private land? Tell us about it in 280 characters or fewer. Location Hunted * Select a location... Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Shiawassee River State Game Area Allegan State Game Area Bald Mountain Recreation Area Maple River State Game Area Sharonville State Game Area Private Land — Wayne Other Your First Name * How Was the Hunt? * (280 characters max) Species Targeted Select species... Whitetail Deer Turkey Dove Feral Hog Black Bear Duck / Waterfowl Squirrel Rabbit Other Best Spot / Stand Location Gear That Made the Difference Submit Review Community Here *We...* Bag Them *Big...* Trophy harvests, personal bests, and record-book moments from Detroit hunters. Jake — Bald Mountain Recreation Area Bow season, hanging stand on a pinch-point between two bedding thickets at Bald Mountain. Old buck cruising scrapes at 5:10 PM. 22-yard shot, recovered him 60 yards out. State-land Oakland County buck — does not get more Detroit-area than that. **Whitetail Deer** 8-point, 165 lbs Vincent — Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Cold front blew in Saturday night. Set the spread in the Mouillee cuts before legal light, mallards were dropping into the decoys by 7:15. Limited out by 8:30. The Lake Erie metro waterfowl scene is criminally underrated. **Mallard (limit)** Daily limit — 6 ducks including 4 mallards Tasha — Allegan State Game Area Spring season Hunt Unit ZZ tag. Set up on a hardwood bench at first light in Allegan SGA, two yelps and the tom hammered back. Walked in to 18 yards strutting. Heavy bird, perfect spurs. -land turkey at its best. **Wild Turkey** 23.5 lb tom, 11" beard, 1-1/4" spurs Your First Name * Location Species Select species... Whitetail Deer Turkey Black Bear Feral Hog Other Weight / Rack Size / Score Tell Us the Story * (200 chars max) Photo or Video (optional, max 8MB) Submit Trophy Don't Drink by the *Swig...* Your favorite post-hunt watering hole. Where do you go when the hunt is done? Jake Dragged the 8-point out of Bald Mountain by dark, dropped at Honest John's deer processor in Detroit. Met the crew at Eastern Market Brewing the next morning for Elephant Juice and pączki from the bakery next door. Detroit deer hunting tradition. **Eastern Market Brewing Co.** -- Elephant Juice IPA Vincent Mouillee duck strap on the truck, drove I-75 north into Corktown. Slows on Michigan Ave, All Day IPA and the Reason burnt-ends platter. Closest you get to a hunt-camp dinner in the city. **Slows Bar BQ — Corktown** -- Founders All Day IPA Tasha Punched the tom tag at Allegan by 8 AM, drove 2.5 hours back to Midtown, dropped at HopCat on Woodward. Two Hearted with a side of Crack Fries — only fitting for a -land bird. **HopCat — Detroit** -- Bell's Two Hearted Ale Your First Name * Bar / Restaurant Name * Go-To Drink Why This Spot? * (200 chars max) Photo of the Bar or Drink (optional, max 8MB) Submit Pick Coverage ## Detroit Hunting News Presented by [MDNR Wildlife](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr) Michigan Department of Natural Resources [Become a Sponsor](/section-sponsorship/?section=hunting) Local — Detroit and Metro Detroit [Local Michigan Archery Deer Harvest Passes 42,000 LANSING, Mich. — Bowhunters heading into the Halloween weekend have already reported more than 42,000 deer across Michigan, four full weeks into the archery season. Bucks make up roughly two-thirds of the take so far, with 28,094 antlered deer and 14,546 antlerless deer reported. The count jumped by 6,375 since the Oct. 26 update, and […] Oct 31, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/10/31/michigan-archery-deer-harvest-42000-dnr-ehd-map/) [Local Bill to End Lower Peninsula Deer Baiting Ban Stalls LANSING, Mich. — Hunters hoping to legally put out bait for deer in the Lower Peninsula this fall are out of luck, and a bill that would have ended the ban appears headed nowhere before the legislative session closes at year end. House Bill 4445, sponsored by Republican Rep. Jennifer Wortz of Quincy, would let […] Oct 31, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/10/31/michigan-deer-baiting-bill-stalls-senate-committee/) [Local EHD Kills Deer Across Southern Michigan SAGINAW, Mich. — A fast-moving virus that kills white-tailed deer is turning up from the Saginaw Bay area south through most of the southern Lower Peninsula, and state wildlife officials are asking hunters to keep reporting dead deer as the fall seasons continue. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has laboratory-confirmed epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or Oct 30, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/10/30/ehd-deer-deaths-southern-michigan-dnr-map/) National — Whitetail, CWD, and Conservation [National New York’s early bear and antlerless deer seasons are underway New York's 2026-27 early big-game hunting seasons are underway, opening the calendar with an early bear season across 11 Southern Zone wildlife... Sep 15, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/09/15/new-york-early-bear-antlerless-deer-seasons/) [National Minnesota archery deer season opens Sept. 19 Minnesota's archery deer season opens Saturday, September 19, and runs through Thursday, December 31, with hunters entering the first full season under... Sep 15, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/09/15/minnesota-archery-deer-season-opens-sept-19/) [National Arkansas honors six partners at private-lands habitat expo Arkansas Game and Fish honored six partners at the 2026 Natural State Private Lands Expo, spotlighting habitat work across nearly 100,000 acres in the program's first full year, 2024. Sep 9, 2026](https://www.heredetroit.com/2026/09/09/arkansas-agfc-2026-natural-state-private-lands-expo/) [View All Detroit Hunting Coverage →](https://www.heredetroit.com/tag/hunting/) More at Outdoor Sports Fishing, camping, hiking, and all outdoor sports coverage for Detroit and Metro Detroit MI [See All Outdoor Sports Coverage](/sports/) [Sponsor](/section-sponsorship/?section=hunting) Outfitters and Gear ## Hunting Gear Guide Gear reviews and picks for the Detroit hunter — boots, optics, packs, and more. Presented by https://www.amazon.com/?tag=heredetroit-20 [Become a Sponsor](/section-sponsorship/?section=hunting) Gear Reviews — Tested for Metro Detroit MI Hunting As an Amazon Associate, HERE earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability subject to change. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C74W77V6 Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound… Decoy Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Icotec Nomad+ Programmable Predator Call/Decoy Combo with Bluetooth - 165 Professional Sound…. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $13.99 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C74W77V6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVKR6QP3 ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B… Optic / Scope Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. ATN Thor 5 Smart HD Thermal Scope w/Ultra Sensative Gen 5 Sensor, Video Rec, Built in LRF, B…. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $1676.85 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVKR6QP3) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GHSP7S3D Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount Laser Rangefinder Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Pulsar Trail 3 LRF Thermal Riflescope with Laser Range Finder and Mount. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $2899.97 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GHSP7S3D) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4X5Q6Y1 Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,… GPS / Navigation Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Garmin inReach® Mini 3, Rugged Compact Global Satellite Communicator with Color Touchscreen,…. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $399.99 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4X5Q6Y1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M7L66QN Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars Laser Rangefinder Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. Vortex Optics Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinding Binoculars. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $799.00 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M7L66QN) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7SMC3K5 TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track… Trail Camera Hand-picked by the HERE Hunting desk this week. TACTACAM Reveal X PRO Cellular Trail Camera, Verizon and AT&T, NO Glow, Integrated GPS Track…. ★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 $99.99 Best for: Recommended by the HERE Hunting desk [View on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7SMC3K5) Outfitter, Guide Service, or Hunting Retailer? Get featured in the Essential Gear section and reach active hunters across the HERE City Network — 100+ cities. [Learn About Gear Advertising](/section-sponsorship/?section=hunting&tier=gear) Lower Peninsula Key Dates ## MI Hunting Season Calendar Sep 12 – 13, 2026 Liberty Hunt + Early Antlerless Firearm — Deer Liberty Hunt for youth and hunters with qualifying disabilities; early antlerless firearm season (MDNR 2026 deer regulations). Statewide Oct 1 – Nov 14, 2026 Archery Deer (early segment) Statewide archery. Limited firearms deer zone eliminated as of Sept. 12, 2026. Statewide Oct 15 – 18, 2026 Independence Hunt — Deer Firearm hunt for hunters with qualifying disabilities on private land and permitted public land. Statewide Nov 15 – 30, 2026 Regular Firearm Deer Statewide regular firearm deer season. Statewide Dec 1, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 Archery Deer (late segment) Statewide late archery. Statewide Dec 4 – 6, 2026 December Firearm Deer (Lower Peninsula) Three-day December firearm season, Lower Peninsula DMUs. Lower Peninsula Dec 7, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 Late Antlerless Firearm Deer Lower Peninsula late antlerless firearm season. Lower Peninsula Sep 15, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027 Squirrel (fox & gray) and Cottontail Rabbit Bag 5 daily / 10 possession. Statewide Sep 15 – Nov 14, 2026; Dec 1, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 Ruffed Grouse Zone 3 bag 3 daily / 6 possession. Statewide Oct 20 – Nov 14, 2026 Ring-necked Pheasant (males only) Lower Peninsula Zones 2 and 3. Pheasant license required. Lower Peninsula Oct 17 – Dec 13, 2026; Dec 26 – 27, 2026 Duck, Coot & Merganser — South Zone Federal frameworks; HIP registration required. South Zone Oct 17 – Dec 13, 2026; Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027; Feb 6 – 15, 2027 Goose (dark & light) — South Zone Also open Sept. 1–30 (early season). Excludes Allegan County and Muskegon Wastewater GMUs. South Zone Sep 15 – Nov 14, 2026 Fall Turkey (TMU I and TMU M) Fall turkey hunts 0401 (TMU I) and 0402 (TMU M); license required. TMU I / M Spring 2027 Spring Turkey 2027 MDNR sets spring turkey dates by formula (the second-to-last Saturday in April onward) and publishes them in its spring turkey regulations summary; the 2027 summary is not out yet. In 2026 the statewide hunt ran May 2–31. Statewide Dates reflect 2026 Michigan hunting regulations for Lower Peninsula. Always verify with the current MDNR Hunting and Fishing Guide. Regulations are subject to change. Questions and Answers ## Detroit Hunting FAQ Common questions about hunting in the Detroit area, answered. - When does deer season open in Detroit Michigan? Michigan's 2026 deer seasons, per MDNR: early archery Oct. 1–Nov. 14 and late archery Dec. 1–Jan. 1; regular firearm Nov. 15–30; December firearm in Lower Peninsula DMUs Dec. 4–6; late antlerless firearm in open Lower Peninsula DMUs Dec. 7–Jan. 1. The Liberty Hunt ran Sept. 12–13 and the Independence Hunt for hunters with qualifying disabilities runs Oct. 15–18. The limited firearms deer zone is gone as of Sept. 12, 2026, so all legal firearms may be used across the Lower Peninsula. Source: [MDNR 2026 deer regulations](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/deer). - Where can I hunt near Detroit Michigan? The state game areas, wildlife areas and recreation-area wildlife units listed on this page are public land managed by MDNR. Michigan has no separate land-use permit for them: a base license plus the right species license covers hunting there, but each property can have its own rules, and vehicles entering state recreation areas need a Recreation Passport. Check each property's MDNR page before you go. [MDNR where to hunt](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/where-to-hunt). - Do I need a license to hunt in Michigan? Yes. Every hunter needs a Michigan base license (2026–27: $11 resident, $151 nonresident, valid through March 31, 2027), which covers small game. Deer hunters add a single deer license (one kill tag) or a deer combo license (two kill tags); universal antlerless deer licenses are sold separately. Turkey and bear need their own licenses, and bear licenses are drawing-only. Waterfowl hunters also need a Michigan waterfowl license, HIP registration and, at 16 and older, a federal duck stamp. Buy licenses at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or in the MDNR Hunt Fish app. Source: [MDNR license information](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/fishing/license-info). - Can you hunt on Sundays in Michigan? Yes, in most of the state. Michigan has no statewide ban on Sunday hunting, but some counties and townships keep local hunting or firearm restrictions. Check MDNR's local controls list for Wayne County before you hunt. [MDNR local controls](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/controls). - What is the deer bag limit in Lower Peninsula? Michigan's statewide limit is two antlered deer per license year (one in DMU 117). A single deer license carries one kill tag and a deer combo license carries two. Antlerless deer need a universal antlerless license in DMUs open to antlerless hunting, and antler point restrictions vary by DMU. Source: MDNR 2026 deer regulations summary. - Are there bear in the Detroit area? Not for hunting. MDNR allows bear hunting only in the Upper Peninsula and the northern half of the Lower Peninsula (the Baldwin, Gladwin and Red Oak units in the Lower Peninsula). Wayne County is in the southern Lower Peninsula, outside those units. Bear licenses are drawing-only, with applications May 1–June 1. Source: [MDNR 2026 bear regulations](https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/bear). ITS ALL HERE! Hunting News Near You![THE HERE CITY NETWORK](https://www.herecity.com)[Plymouth, MI](https://www.hereplymouth.com/hunting/) [Northville, MI](https://www.herenorthville.com/hunting/) [Novi, MI](https://www.herenovi.com/hunting/) [Ann Arbor, MI](https://www.hereannarbor.com/hunting/) [Lansing, MI](https://www.herelansing.com/hunting/) [Grand Rapids, MI](https://www.heregrandrapids.com/hunting/) [Washington, DC](https://www.herewashingtondc.com/hunting/) [Bristol, TN](https://www.herebristol.com/hunting/) [Knoxville, TN](https://www.hereknoxville.com/hunting/) [Greensboro, NC](https://www.heregreensboro.com/hunting/)