??? Is early doe season on public?

Muzzleloading Deer Seasons An individual hunting deer with a muzzleloading firearm during the muzzleloading deer season shall only possess or carry afield, or take a deer with a crossbow, muzzleloading rifle, muzzleloading shotgun, or black-powder pistol, loaded with black-powder or a commercially manufactured black-powder substitute. Exception: Zone 3 is open to all legal firearms, including the full counties of Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Isabella, Midland, and Bay. Only certified hunters with a disability may use a crossbow or a modified bow during the muzzleloading season in the Upper Peninsula, except in the UP Core CWD Surveillance Area where crossbows may be used. See “Archery Deer Seasons” for possession and carry of firearms during the coinciding late archery deer season.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/hunting_and_trapping_digest_461177_7.pdf
It's a little confusing at first. But certain counties are set aside for "all legal firearms".

 

But that only applies to muzzleloader season and not late antlerless season.

The way it’s worded, late antlerless season is only open to private land, except in Zone 3 where you can use a muzzleloader on public land.

If you could use any legal firearm on public land during late antlerless season, it would say that. But it doesn’t. It specifically says muzzleloaders are allowed on public lands.

 

I'm so glad they simplified these rules ( crazyeyes thingy)

 

No freaking kidding...
Why don't they just make it a combo tag, restricted/non restricted, and if you want to shoot a doe, gotta get a doe tag, if they are available for the area...Statewide, same for gun and bow, and all seasons, if they want to simplify.

 

All of the new antlerless options should be private land only! Overpopulation was never an issue on public hunting lands.

 

To late now, there is going to be a LOT of Deer deserts now!

 

The digests are as clear as mud.

 

I'm glad the regs help these poor animals survive in some capacity. Not sure how else they will evade predators without regs. It'd be a real slobber-knocker out there.