Michigan's firearm deer hunters are preparing for the first season opener to fall on a Saturday in 11 years.

Firearm season throughout the state takes place Nov. 15-30. With the firearm season including three full weekends, the harvest could be up this year compared to previous season, but there's no guarantee.

In 2014, the last time the opener was on a Saturday, the deer harvest actually fell from the previous year — down about 15%.

The DNR says deer numbers in most places across Michigan will be similar to 2024. Hunters already have taken 91,822 deer this year, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources , through various early seasons as of Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Last year, hunters harvested nearly 180,000 deer during the two-week regular firearm season, which wa

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