2025 Deer Season: Michigan County Hunters Bagged the Most in 2024

Every fall in Michigan, the woods get a sudden orange infusion, and garage chest freezers anxiously anticipate filling up with venison. So, as we head into the 2025 Whitetail Deer Season in the Mitten State, let's review the harvest numbers from each county, bucks and does, from the 2024 season using the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Deer Harvest Report.

RELATED: DNR: Michigan's 2024 Deer Harvest Underreported by Nearly 75,000

How Many Deer Did Michigan Hunters Really Harvest in 2024?

But if you think the deer harvest numbers you submit online are the final word, think again. Take 2024, for example. Michigan hunters reported a harvest of just under 300,000 (including January's late seasons in 2025). The DNR? They politely disagreed, announcing the real number was closer to 373,000 deer (see link above for more details).

The Upper Peninsula: A Surge in Deer Harvests

Unless whitetails are logging in underreporting themselves, there's a serious gap between hunter reports and DNR math. The Upper Peninsula, for starters, saw a 20% increase in harvest numbers according to hunters, but the DNR says that it's actually a 21% increase.

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Northern Lower Michigan also saw a similar difference, while Southern Lower Michigan remained the leader for overall deer population and harvest.

RELATED: Car Deer Crashes In Michigan: Which County Has The Most?

So, as Michigan's 2025 season gets underway—with hunts stretching from the Youth Liberty Hunt (September 13 and 14, 2025) to the Extended Late Anterless Firearm (January 2 through January 11, 2026) into early next year—expect another round of 'you shot more than you said you did' when the final estimates roll in.

County-by-County Deer Harvest Totals

Below, we've broken down Michigan's 2025 county-by-county deer totals—bucks and does—as reported by Michigan hunters. Just remember, the DNR update is always lurking.