If you are looking for a district with light hunting pressure during December, the eastern U.P. fits the bill. That district had the lowest number of hunters, by far, during the 2003 blackpowder season, according to the DNR. An estimated 6,958 muzzleloader hunters tried their luck in eastern U.P. counties last year. The western U.P. had the next-lowest number of hunters at 17,193, followed by 17,988 in the urban Southeastern District.

The Northeast District had the fourth-lowest number of hunters at 24,378. Between 30,000 and 40,000 hunters were afield in the remaining districts during December deer seasons.

The Southwest District, which is where Barb Loy connected, had the second-highest success rate during the 2003 muzzleloader season for deer of either sex at 20.3 percent. Buck hunting success was 6.2 percent in that district compared to 14.6 percent for antlerless deer. This district includes Muskegon, Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.

All but four counties in this district have too many deer, according to the DNR. The four counties with the fewest whitetails are Muskegon, Berrien, Cass and Van Buren. Although the chances of success might be best in this district's other counties, there are still plenty of deer in the four counties that were mentioned, especially if you have access to private land.

The Saginaw Bay and South-Central districts had almost identical success rates for deer of either sex during the 2003 blackpowder season at 19.6 and 19.5 percent, respectively. Buck hunting success during that season was 5.2 percent in the Saginaw Bay District and 4.6 percent in south-central counties. Hunters with antlerless permits enjoyed slightly better than a 15 percent rate of success in both districts.

The Saginaw Bay District is composed of Saginaw, Bay, Tuscola, Sanilac, Huron, Midland, Isabella, Clare, Gladwin and Arenac counties. Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola counties have the highest deer densities in this district. Good hunting is also available in Saginaw, Midland and Isabella counties.

Counties in the South-Central District are Lenawee, Hillsdale, Washtenaw, Jackson, Livingston, Ingham, Eaton, Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, Montcalm and Gratiot. The southernmost block of four counties - Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale and Lenawee - are among the best in the state for both quantity and quality. Deer are abundant and mature bucks grow some of the biggest antlers in our state. Montcalm and Ionia counties also have high deer populations.

Ryan Mains from Litchfield bagged a huge 18-point non-typical netting 190 7/8 inches in Jackson County during the 2003 muzzleloader season, for example. The story about his hunt for that deer can be found on page 17 of this magazine.

Success rates were similar during the 2003 muzzleloader deer season in the Northeast District and Northwest District of Region 2, according to the DNR. A total of 15.8 percent of blackpowder hunters who tried their luck in the northeast collected at least one deer of either sex compared to 15.5 percent success in the northwest. The odds of taking an antlered buck were 3.9 percent in the northeast compared to 3.3 percent for the northwest. Success rates on antlerless deer were 12.2 and 12.6 percent, respectively.

The Northeast District is made up of Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Alpena, Montmorency, Otsego, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Emmet, Charlevoix and Antrim counties. Most deer infected with TB have been found in Alpena, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Montmorency, Crawford and Alcona counties. For that reason, the use of bait for deer hunting is banned in those counties. The best hunting in this district will be found in Iosco, Ogemaw, Antrim and Charlevoix counties, where there's a mix of agriculture and woodlands.

Counties in the Northwest District are Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Lake, Mason, Missaukee, Wexford, Manistee, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie and Leelanau. The southernmost counties - Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta - are the best bets for hunting success. Manistee County is also one of the top counties for deer numbers in this district.

The last day for late-season deer hunting in Michigan on 2004 deer licenses is Jan. 2, 2005. Jan. 1 is normally the last day of the season. Late-season bowhunting begins on Dec. 1 statewide. The muzzleloader deer season begins in the U.P. on Friday, Dec. 3 this year and lasts for 10 days. Blackpowder season begins on Dec. 10 across the L.P.

Bait can be used for deer hunting over most of the state, with the exception of seven counties in the northeast L.P. where the practice is banned. Hunters are limited to two gallons of bait per day, which should be spread over an area of at least 100 square feet. The limit on the quantity of bait should help improve success among hunters who employ this practice by increasing competition for the small quantity of quality food. Studies have shown that when bait is abundant, deer are more likely to eat the food under the cover of darkness.

Legal bucks only have to have spikes that are at least three inches long across most of the state, but there are some exceptions. If you are hunting U.P. deer management units (DMUs) 122, 152, 155 and 252, for instance, bucks must have a minimum of 3 points on one antler that are each at least an inch long to be legal. Refer to a DNR map of Region 1 to determine where these units are.

On Drummond Island at the east end of the U.P., bucks must have at least one forked antler to be legal. The same restrictions are in effect on South Fox Island off of Charlevoix and DMU 135 in a portion of Iosco County.

Mandatory antler restrictions limiting hunters to shooting bucks with at least 3 points on one antler are no longer in effect in a portion of Clare County that used to be DMU 118. A five-year test of those regulations ended last fall. DMU 118 no longer exists. All of Clare County is DMU 18.

A late-season antlerless-only hunt on private land during which centerfire firearms can be used has been proposed for 23 counties in the L.P. Dates for that hunt are Dec. 20 through Jan. 2. Seven of the counties open during this season are in the northeast L.P. where TB-infected deer are a concern. Those counties are Presque Isle, Alpena, Montmorency, Otsego, Alcona, Oscoda and Crawford.

The remaining counties that are open during the late-season antlerless firearm hunt are in Region 3. Two of them are in the Thumb - Tuscola and Lapeer counties. Those on the west side of the state are Allegan, Ottawa, Kent, Barry and Ionia. South-central counties include Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Jackson, Washtenaw, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale and Lenawee.

Hunters must possess an unfilled antlerless permit valid for private land in these counties to participate. Since the DNR wants to lower deer numbers in these counties, plenty of permits should be available. Be sure to check final regulations to confirm the above counties were approved for this hunt.

The top 20 counties for late-season deer hunting in our state would include the 16 in Region 3 where the late-season antlerless hunt has been approved, and the following four southern U.P. counties - Menominee, Delta, Dickinson and Iron.

Now go out there and get some venison for the freezer!