With early firearm deer season starting in a few weeks, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment reports that about 50 deer check stations will be open to check harvested deer this season. Bringing a deer to a check station allows the DNRE to collect data that assists with the management of Michigan’s deer herd.

Deer check stations in the Eastern Upper Peninsula are listed below.

• Mackinac Bridge Welcome Center November 17 and November 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Sault Ste. Marie Field Office November 15 through November 24, and November 29 and 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Newberry Operations Service Center November 15 through November 19, November 22 through November 24, November 29 and 30, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; November 20 and 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The DNRE will only collect heads for TB and CWD monitoring from deer that are identified as “suspect” and for systematic sampling from the known areas of concern, which include the five counties of northeast Lower Michigan, plus Iosco, Shiawassee, Cheboygan, Emmet, and Kent counties. These changes significantly reduce the number of deer the DNRE will need to check.

For a complete list of 2010 deer check stations open during the Regular Deer Firearm Season November 15 through November 24, and November 29 through November 30, visit the DNRE Web site at www.Michigan.gov/ dnre and click on Natural Resources. During all other deer seasons, deer can be checked at the Operations Service Centers (OSC) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday (except state holidays).