Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials today announced hunters have until Friday, Oct. 14, to be entered in the random drawing for 100 access permits to thin the white-tailed deer herd at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, near Muskegon.

Two hunts for antlerless deer only will be held Nov. 26-27 during the last weekend of the regular firearm season and Dec. 10-12 during the muzzleloading season. A maximum of 20 hunters will be allowed in the areas north of the day-use beach road and up to 30 hunters will be allowed in the areas south of the day-use beach road during each hunting period. Click here to see a map of the park.

The Natural Resources Commission authorized these special hunts at its September meeting.

Interested hunters must submit a 4” x 6” postcard with name, full mailing address, telephone, date of birth, Michigan driver license number or Michigan DNR sportcard number and the hunt choice code number for their first choice and second choice. Code numbers can be found on the 2005 Hoffmaster State Park Deer Hunt Information sheet, which is available online at www.michigan.gov/dnr and at local license agents in Muskegon, Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Newaygo counties. Hunters may apply only once.

Postcards must be postmarked Oct. 14 and mailed or delivered on that date before noon to the DNR Plainwell Operations Service Center, 621 N. 10th St., Plainwell, MI 49010. Any submissions not on a postcard, incomplete or delivered after the deadline will not be entered in the drawing.

"Interest has been very strong and we expect high participation," said Ron Olson, chief of the Parks and Recreation Division.

Successful hunters will be notified by mail before Nov. 5, with instructions on how to purchase their permits from a license agent. Hunters are eligible for two antlerless permits. All hunters must check in and out at the state park’s permit booth at the main entrance to the park. Hunters also are required to check deer at the permit booth so biological data can be collected. Additional general information is available at the local license agents and on the DNR Web site.