March hunting and trapping opportunities (2024)

This winter, you may still enjoy many outdoor activities, including hunting, as long as you practice proper social distancing by staying at least 6 feet from those who don't live in your household.

The 2021 base license is now available for purchase.

• Small game
• Fur harvesting seasons
• Deer hunter harvest survey
• 2021 deer season regulation changes
• Download hunting digests for on-the-go access
• Get involved
• Questions? Contact us

Get out and enjoy the last few weeks of the 2020 small game season with your base license! Your 2020 base license is valid through March 31, 2021.

Small game species currently open to hunting:

• Cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare through March 31.
• Squirrel hunting (both fox and gray) through March 31.
• Crow hunting open through March 31.

Visit Michigan.gov/SmallGame and see the 2020 Hunting Digest for regulations and bag limits.

• Coyote hunting is open year-round.
• Raccoon trapping is open through March 31.
• Trapping opportunities for beaver and otter are also available. See the Fur Harvester Digest for season dates and bag limits.

Find additional information on fur harvesting regulations, bag limits and seasons in the 2020 Fur Harvester Digest, available at Michigan.gov/Trapping.

Let us know how your deer season went by filling out a 2020 deer hunter harvest survey. This annual survey helps biologists understand more about Michigan’s deer hunters and deer herd.

Wildlife surveys and reports are available at Michigan.gov/WildlifeSurveys.

• Deer Management Unit-specific antlerless deer licenses have been replaced with a universal antlerless license that can be used across multiple DMUs.
• Antlerless licenses may now be purchased without an application in the Lower Peninsula and portions of the south-central Upper Peninsula that have DMUs open to antlerless deer hunting. Licenses may be used on public or private land.
• In the mid-zone Upper Peninsula DMUs that are open to antlerless deer hunting, a deer hunting access permit must accompany the universal antlerless license. The deer hunting access permit, intended to limit participation where the population can be sensitive to harsh winter weather, will be available through a drawing.
• The northernmost DMUs of the U.P. are closed to antlerless deer hunting in all seasons.
• Archery hunters in portions of the Upper Peninsula may pursue antlerless deer on their deer or deer combo licenses. DMUs 127, 066, 131, 042, 031, 007 and 048 will be closed to antlerless harvest during the archery seasons.
• The expanded urban archery season through Jan. 31 is now permanent in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
• Upper Peninsula supplemental and recreational deer feeding regulations have changed, including:
• A permit is no longer required for supplemental feeding in the Upper Peninsula.
• Supplemental feeding can occur Jan. 1 to May 15.
• Recreational or supplemental feeding is prohibited if a location is deemed to be a safety hazard.
• All recreational feed must be given in increments of only 2 gallons per calendar day and only 2 gallons at any one time.

The 2021 deer hunting regulations will be printed in the 2021 Hunting Digest, which is expected to be finalized in late spring and available at license agent locations and online at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests around July 1.

This year, printing and distribution of hunting digests will be limited. For on-demand digest access that travels where you do without the need for internet access, consider downloading DNR hunting and fishing digests to your phone. They are available for download on Android and Appledevices. Find the current digests and downloading instructions at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests.

Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-WILD (9453).