Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Michigan Department of Natural Resources warns deer hunters it's probably too late to order a license online for Sunday's opening of firearm season. However, you can still get one in-person at a local outlet, or purchase a digital license through the DNR's Fish Hunt smartphone app, which also allows hunters to record their harvest, among other features.

"Some hunters think well ahead and plan everything out, and get all the decisions made in advance. Others go wait a minute, it's November 13 or 14 and there's a big day coming up," said Brent Rudolph, the deer, elk and moose management specialist with MDNR.

"If you purchase your license online, you're not going to get your tag for maybe a week or more."

Rudolph says Fish Hunt app allows hunters to purchase an e-license, which stays on their smartphone.

"And then you will 'notch' your tag. You'll validate it electronically. You'll provide the same information that you would if you cut your knife slot on your physical tag. It's the same information you're going to indicate, like the number of antler points, all those kinds of things people are accustomed to."

Rudolph says the Fish Hunt app still allows hunters to enter information, even without a cell signal.

"If an officer comes to you, they would be able to see you validated it. So, you tagged your deer by doing it on your device. And, if you take your deer home or directly to a processor, or taxidermist, that's all you'll have to do," he says.

"You'll have the validated information. You'll be able to show a taxidermist or processor the information from your digital license and legally possessing that deer. Then they keep all that information just like they would if you had a physical tag, if an officer comes to them."

Michigan's firearm deer season runs November 15-30. Hunters harvested more than 38,000 deer on opening day of the 2025 firearms season.

More information is linked below.