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Ohio vs Michigan Hunting License Cost

Compare Ohio and Michigan hunting-license planning costs, deer-tag setup, and hunter-education differences before narrowing your Midwest shortlist.

Last updated: April 22, 2026
Ohio Resident $18 Resident Adult Hunting
Michigan Resident $11 Resident Base Hunting
Ohio Non-Resident $174 Non-Resident Adult Hunting
Michigan Non-Resident $151 Non-Resident Base Hunting
By Kevin Luo Published April 22, 2026

Headline Takeaways

  • Michigan is cheaper for the primary resident base license by $7.
  • Michigan is cheaper for the primary non-resident base license by $23.
  • Ohio deer planning starts with "Archery: Sep 27 - Feb 1", while Michigan starts with "Archery: Oct 1 - Nov 14".

Side-by-Side Table

Planning Item Ohio Michigan
Resident base license $18 $11
Non-resident base license $174 $151
Hunter education Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01 Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01
Resident deer tag $30 $20
Non-resident deer tag $210 $20
Deer season snapshot Archery: Sep 27 - Feb 1 Archery: Oct 1 - Nov 14
Deer draw rule No deer draw required for the primary path No deer draw required for the primary path
Official agency Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Planning Notes

  • Ohio official purchases flow through Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife; Michigan uses Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
  • Ohio: Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01. Michigan: Required for hunters born after 1960-01-01.
  • Ohio: No deer draw required for the primary path. Michigan: No deer draw required for the primary path.

Go from comparison to action

Jump into the winning state hub or use the calculator to layer in the rest of the trip cost.