Michigan DNR Hunting Season Changes 2026

Every year, thousands of people get out in their hideouts before the sun comes up and try to score on opening day of the hunting season. The Michigan DNR is responsible for monitoring hunting licenses and the hunting season, along with deciding what is legal to hunt and when residents are allowed to hunt for them.

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There is different season in which licensed hunters are allowed to hunt different animals with different weapons. Those who are hunting on a regular can tell you the schedule, but it surely is complex and hard to keep up with. One of those complex schedules is for Elk hunting season.

Currently licensed hunters can hunt Elk with firearms for 3 separate 4-day hunts in August and September and another 9 9-day stretch from December 13th to December 21st. This gives these hunters a total of just 21 days to hunt for Elk during the entire hunting season. The Michigan DNR has proposed a new schedule that would increase the number of hunting days for Elk.

Are You A Avid Hunter? These Changes May Excite You!

Wxyz.com reports:

According to the DNR, the proposals would lengthen both elk hunting periods in the northern Lower Peninsula, which is home to the state's elk herd. Under the changes, there would be 24 additional days of elk hunting allowed in the state between two hunting periods. Hunt period one would run from the second Saturday in September through the second Sunday in October, taking place over 30 consecutive days. The second hunt period would run between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15.

The new hunting schedule would give hunters 45 total days to hunt Elk which is more than double the amount that the current schedule allots. The changes wouldn't go into effect until the 2026 hunting season, but they are meant to give more chances for hunters to go out and keep them from rushing for kills.

There is a slight chance that they will adjust the time in which a hunter must report their Elk to the Michigan DNR. Currently they must report their Elk in under 24 hours but the new legislation would increase that limit to 72 hours.