Michigan DNR May Close Deer Season in UP for 2015

http://www.sooeveningnews.com/article/20150429/NEWS/150428958

Daang.

But I do remember both of us talking about what a hard deer season it was last year.

Ouch. I take it that's where you hunt Mike?

We have a place up there. I do a lot of hunting in lower MI now but I still love to go up there for family vacations and just to get away. Lots of memories and tradition up there, I've never missed a deer season in all my years of hunting I've always made it up for at least a weekend.

This probably would be good for the deer as the numbers are low due to prolonged cold harsh winters. Just not sure how well it would fly with locals and those of us that drive up to deer camp every year .

And that's going to be the hardest part about it. If they do decide to stop season this year.

But that still won't take away anything from your memories and traditions.

But I do understand why you'd be bummed about it. I would be too.

But from what everyone is saying, this year is going to be a bumper crop so hopefully the deer that did make it through the winter will have a fighting chance to pull out of it.

Worst case, i will go to coyote camp. There are more of them than deer anyway LOL

Coyotes will kill the fawns given a chance.

I know they'll even follow along behind heifers just before they give birth too.

The more you take out, the better you'll be as far as deer numbers go.

Yes we have some wolves up there, not sure how many. I've seen a track but not much else. I've seen a lot of pics of dogs attacked by wolves taken not too far from my place.


I know this is not the end, A short break in tradition is small price if it will actually help the deer population. Long term I'd prefer to see the DNR actually do what needs to be done for the deer.

With as much money as the fish/game dept. get from deer licenses, I don't think they'll close the season even if it meant extinction of the species.

I don't think you've got much to worry about.

http://news.yahoo.com/states-consider-deer-hunting-permit-cuts-tough-winter-190636151.html

A winter of heavy snow and bitter cold may have resulted in increased mortality rates from the upper Midwest to New England.
In Maine, biologists are recommending a cut of 23 percent to the state's deer hunting permits. In Vermont, the number of antlerless deer permits is being cut nearly in half. In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, deer hunting could be halted altogether.
"This last winter was one of the worst that I can remember. I suspect that we lost a lot of deer," said David Trahan, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. "Although it's disappointing to see permits go down, I would have to agree."
Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologists are recommending the state issue 28,770 "any deer" permits, which allow hunters to harvest bucks or does. The cut would come a year after the state reduced permits from 46,710 to 37,185, a 25 percent cut that was also motivated in part by winter die-offs.

More at the link above

Looks like they decided not to cancel the season entirely, but just halt the anterless option during the archery season.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2015/05/07/michigan-upper-peninsula-deer-hunting/70967184/

We've not had a (rifle) doe season in as long as I can remember.

We can take them with bows and black powders, but not with a rifle.

Go figure.

I didn't think they'd close the season altogether. Too much money in lost revenue.

The lower pop areas in the UP do not have an anterless option during the gun season (i.e. where I hunt). Elsewhere it is by tag only which you have to apply for or buy OTC if there are leftovers.

It did come down to economics. As much as I was bummed about the prospect of missing a season, if it would make future seasons better I was on board. It's obvious that despite many positive changes within our wildlife dept, it is still driven more by economics than the actual wildlife conservation.

Anytime you add the words "Agency" or "Management" or "Bureau" after something, it will forever more be about the money and control.

Update it's official, no antlerless during the archery season in the UP.

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/10925b7

That sucks. But I didn't think they'd stop season altogether.

KY's deer reg's are also warped up. Especially in my "zone" where it pertains to doe.

There are only two counties that issue doe tags now, shutting down the ability to take one with a bow (no additional do tag required) will impact a lot of hunters in the UP.

The property I hunt up there is buck only but I would still hunt state land during the archery season as the archery tag allows taking of doe.

This does not impact me as much directly but I have to think that the poaching of does will increase this year as the income levels in the UP are low and people need to keep they freezers stocked.

Right now of more concern to me is the CWD case they found in the southern lower. DNR snipers are already culling deer (@night with suppressors....both options that are illegal for the rest of us.) in the area and have stopped baiting and feeding in the area as well.