Submitted by Joel Malcuit Eaton County Quality Deer Management
Brent Rudolph, DNR Deer Research Specialist, gave a presentation to the Michigan NRC regarding a possible change of the Firearms Deer Season Opener. The major points discussed were as follows: 1) The possible reduction of conflict for hunters between work and school with a change to a Saturday opener, 2) The economic impact of a Saturday opener, 3) The impact on hunter recruitment, and 4) The biological impact of moving the opener in relation to the whitetail breeding season. These issues were discussed in the context of only three possible opening date changes that are being considered.
Saturday before Thanksgiving Saturday closest to Nov. 15th Saturday after Nov. 15th
He noted that positioning the opener ahead of the breeding season would have a negative effect on fawn recruitment. The presentation was well done and persuasive to these conclusions and there was no rebuttal from the commissioners or others at the meeting. A 2006 attitude survey shows that 84% of Michigan hunters prefer a Nov. 15th opener and 12% were opposed. It was also noted that any change to the opening date would require extensive rearrangement of many of the other hunting seasons because they are anchored to, or coordinated with, the deer season, e.g., early and late archery seasons and small game seasons.
At the end of the presentation Commissioner Wheatlake, who initiated the investigation into this issue, made the statement that any action by the commission would not be imminent. He recommended to the board that they continue discussion of this matter only after the DNR collects new attitude survey data for 2009-2010 and he also wanted to contact some of the captive cervid biologists in the state (Legends and Sanctuary) because they have data that may indicate that the peak of the rut is starting to occur later in November than it traditionally has. He also made the statement that if they made any changes that he would recommend moving the date back instead of forward in order to avoid any possible negative biological impact.
