Hook & Hunting: Late Hunting Seasons in Alpena, Montcalm, Ionia Counties

There are two late antlerless deer hunting seasons coming up in Michigan, all aimed at making the population healthier.

Jan. 1-4 and then Jan. 11-14, you can hunt antlerless deer on private land in select townships of Alpena County.

That’s to help control the transmission of bovine tuberculosis.

Getting the deer tested is not mandatory here, but helpful.

The same dates go for certain townships of Montcalm and Ionia counties.

That’s to help with the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Testing the deer for CWD is mandatory in these counties within 72 hours of the kill.

“The idea with the Montcalm-Ionia area is we also want to know location of spread  of where these deer are being found that are positive, and Alpena County we want to lower the amount of deer that are coming into contact with cattle on private land,” said Katie Keen, DNR wildlife communications coordinator.

Antlerless deer hunting on private land is allowed in part of Alpena County, south of M-32.

In Ionia County, antlerless deer hunting on private land is allowed in the following townships:

• Easton Twp.
• Ionia Twp.
• Keene Twp.
• Lyons Twp.
• North Plains Twp.
• Orleans Twp.
• Otisco Twp.

Antlerless deer hunting on private land is allowed in Montcalm County in the following townships:

• Bloomer Twp.
• Bushnell Twp.
• Crystal Twp.
• Day Twp.
• Evergreen Twp.
• Ferris Twp.