(LANSING) - The archery deer hunting season starts Thursday in Michigan.
Hunters will be heading into the woods hoping to fill their tag and their freezer.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, while the Southern Lower Peninsula experienced subzero temperatures during the recent winter, snow accumulation was mild. No significant winter deer mortality is expected.
Strong fawn recruitment and high numbers of twins were reported in several Southern Lower Peninsula counties during the spring and summer, and antler development appeared to be on par with previous years.
A wild card for hunters in the Southern Lower Peninsula in 2026 will be local areas affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease or EHD over the past several years. In the last two years, the first confirmed EHD-positive deer were collected on August 18, 2025, and August 13, 2026.
Prolonged EHD activity beginning in July or early August can substantially affect a local deer herd, but its distribution across the landscape can be extremely variable. Locations a short distance from severely affected areas may experience little or no impact, so even portions of EHD-affected counties may continue to need considerable antlerless harvest.
Venison from healthy deer harvested in areas affected by EHD is safe to eat. As with any wildlife, animals that appear sick should not be consumed.