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Hook & Hunting: DNR Offers $5 Antlerless Deer Licenses for Select Counties in Northeast Michigan

Hunters in six northeast Michigan counties can purchase antlerless deer licenses for a discounted price of $5.

Hunters in Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties are able to purchase the discounted license, normally $20.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources say they hope this will provide an incentive for hunters to take more deer, which would help manage the size of the herd in northeast Michigan and may reduce the amount of Bovine Tuberculosis in the area.

Chad Stewart, deer management specialist for the DNR, says “It’s really an opportunity to provide a lot more opportunities for hunters in the northeast where we’ve been working to lower the incidents of Bovine Tuberculosis in our deer herd for almost 30 years now.”

Bovine TB is spread primarily through the exchange of respiratory secretions between infected and uninfected animals. This transmission usually happens when animals are in close contact with each other. Bacteria released into the air through coughing and sneezing or onto shared food sources can spread the disease to uninfected animals.

“It’s a nasty disease that we don’t want in our state, we’ve been working hard to get rid of it and this is one of the latest approached that we’re taking to try to manage for that,” says Stewart.

Licenses will be offered at this reduced cost until October 2021 and can be purchased online at