A Michigan Department of Natural Resources map shows deer management units in the Upper Peninsula. Universal antlerless deer licenses are available for the south-central U.P., but in the mid-zone an access permit is needed as well. There are no antlerless licenses for the northern units in the U.P.

IRON MOUNTAIN — Hunters are reminded that the application period for deer hunting access permits in the mid-zone Upper Peninsula closes Aug. 15.

In 2021, Michigan replaced deer management unit-specific antlerless deer licenses with a universal antlerless license that can be used across multiple units on public or private land, including the south-central U.P. A universal antlerless license entitles a hunter to take an antlerless deer in any deer management unit open to antlerless hunting in all seasons.

In the mid-zone U.P., a deer hunting access permit must accompany each universal antlerless license. The permits will be available through a drawing, with DMUs 351 and 352 each having a quota of 1,000 access permits. The permits are free, but there is a cost of $5 to apply for the drawing.

Drawing results will be posted Aug. 29 and any leftover permits go on sale Sept. 6.

More information is available at Michigan.gov/Deer.

In Wisconsin, bonus antlerless harvest authorizations will be available for purchase beginning Aug. 15 in the northern forest zone, including 200 public land and 300 private land permits in Florence County; 250 public land and 500 private land permits in Forest County; and 300 public land and 1,025 private land permits in the northern half of Marinette County.

Bonus antlerless harvest authorizations are available on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $12 each for residents, $20 each for non-residents and $5 for youth hunters under age 12. They may be filled with any weapon type during the appropriate season.

For more, go to https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/deer.

Anglers fishing the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers have had luck catching smallmouth bass and northern pike, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said. Spinners and topwater lures were working best.

At Whisler Outdoors in Florence, Wis., crappie minnows have been selling fast as the forecast calls for some hotter days ahead. Highs could reach into the 90s by Wednesday.

The Michigan DNR had no updated fishing report this week.

A project to repair damaged ramp planks at the Lake Gogebic State Park boating access site in Gogebic County will require temporary closure of the launch beginning Aug. 15, the DNR said.

The construction is slated to take roughly two weeks, with the boating access site scheduled to re-open after Sept. 2.

For more information, go to Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.

The Wisconsin DNR reminds sturgeon spearers that the deadline to apply for an Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing tag is Monday.

Due to a higher success rate on the Upriver Lakes, only 500 license holders will be selected to spear a sturgeon from lakes Poygan, Winneconne or Butte des Morts during the 2023 spearing season.

Applicants will be notified of whether they received the authorization to purchase an Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing license by Oct. 1.

An unlimited number of sturgeon spearing licenses are available for the Lake Winnebago spear fishery and can be purchased until Oct. 31. Applicants authorized for an Upriver Lakes license cannot purchase a license for Lake Winnebago.

Resident and nonresident licenses are available for purchase online through the DNR’s Go Wild license portal or at any license sales location.

The 2023 Winnebago System sturgeon spearing season will begin Feb. 11 on Lake Winnebago, Lake Poygan, Lake Winneconne and Lake Butte des Morts. The season will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the annual biologically based harvest caps are reached.