The firearms season officially ends half-an-hour before sunset on Saturday.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued 26,390 hunting permits this year, down sharply from last year when more than 40,000 permit were issued. Officials cut back to give the deer population a chance to recover following harsh winters in 2008 and 2009 that thinned the herd.

With firearms season ending, the muzzle-loading deer season will kick off on Monday and end Dec. 3. Another muzzle-loading season runs from Dec. 5-10 in selected wildlife management districts.