Michigan whitetail numbers in solid shape as archery hunters prepare for Oct. 1 opener

When the 2023 archery deer season opens a half hour before sunrise on October 1, Michigan bowhunters can expect a pretty good chance at tagging a whitetail, especially in the southern Lower Peninsula, according to DNR big game managers. “Like previous years, our archery season is shaping up to be a good one across much of the state. Deer numbers remain high with very few exceptions in the SLP. Hunters with access should be able to set up on deer sign and have activity on many of their hunts,” Chad Stewart, the DNR’s deer, elk and moose specialist told Michigan Outdoor News. Access can be a wild card in the SLP since about 90% of the deer range there is privately owned.