Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

Northern Michigan deer hunting headed for a comeback

This from the Michigan DNR…Sure hope they’re right.

You really don’t have to have a lot of gray in your hair to remember when deer hunting was largely a northern Michigan endeavor. There was a long tradition of going to deer camp somewhere north of Clare, and reports of traffic jams on northbound I-75 a couple of days prior to Nov. 15 were commonplace.

That trend changed through the 1990s, and somewhere around the turn of the century, the pattern reversed itself. More hunters spent more time – and killed more deer – in the southern third of the state than in the northern Lower and Upper peninsulas.

In 2002, for instance, Michigan hunters killed an estimated 35,000 bucks in the Upper Peninsula and 79,000 in the northern Lower Peninsula, while southern Michigan hunters killed 127,000 bucks – more than half the bucks taken in the state. That trend has continued.

But due to a combination of factors – including new license regulations and three mild winters in a row – northern Michigan deer hunting appears to be poised for a comeback. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife ,

Deer Hunter Buying Habits Revealed

Even as hunter numbers rebound to participation levels not seen since the 1990s, whitetail deer hunting remains the most popular type of hunting in America. Roughly three-quarters of all U.S. hunters—more than 10 million men and women—deer hunt each fall. Many businesses and organizations strive to serve this community of outdoor enthusiasts and by understanding where they spend their money and what they actually buy, they are able to gain an edge on their competition. Fortunately, obtaining up-to-date, accurate data on this vibrant consumer market is easy with the The Southwick Deer Hunter Report. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Deer Decoy Tactics

 

Position a buck decoy facing you so the real thing will be looking away when it approaches. (Bob Humphrey photo)

By Bob Humphrey
Want to play a trick or treat with the whitetails this Halloween? Use decoys to trick them into thinking there’s a treat.
Buck or Doe? Doe decoys might work most any time. Early in the season, the sight will put other deer at ease and may draw them nearer. During the rut a doe represents a potential mate, and a buck might approach, particularly if they can pick up olfactory signals like estrus scent.

Read more

Hunting, Wildlife ,

Michigan Keeps Pace with Car/Deer Kill Leaders

Michigan ranks among the leaders in the country in car/deer collisions.  And, as long as the state continues on its mission to penalize hunters $15 for each deer hunting license to help the insurance companies, and thus citizens. little will change.  If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you can expect the same results –  except in this case, the fees to help have actually increased 50 percent in recent years.  Duh!  The details from State Farm are here…

Wildlife

An arctic tern in Michigan

An arctic tern has been spotted this week at Ludington Harbor in Mason County. This is certainly a rare sight, because this species breeds in the arctic and typically migrates along the Pacific or Atlantic coastline or over the open ocean. Michigan is not usually a stopping point during its long journey to Antarctica. If you are in the area looking for this rare visitor, be sure to check out other wildlife viewing opportunities at Ludington State Park.

To learn more about this amazing bird and its migration journey, please visit: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Arctic_Tern/lifehistory and http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Sterna_paradisaea/.

Wildlife
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