Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today advised the public that an organization will hold informational meetings regarding deer antler point restriction (APR) proposals at a number of locations in June 2013. Individuals are invited to attend a local event to learn more about the APR process and the specific proposals currently under consideration. Read more
GW: This is the first I’ve heard about this proposal. Sounds good!
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today advised the public that a local organization will hold an informational meeting regarding a proposed deer antler point restriction (APR) on June 4 at the East Lansing High School.
A group known as the Lower Peninsula Deer Management Initiative (LPDMI) has proposed a four-point APR for all of Zone 3 in southern Michigan. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
Wildlife management strategies in Michigan have produced some rather dubious results over the years and recent results depict an ongoing trend. For example, deer/vehicle collisions are up 6 percent over the past 10 years making Michigan second in the nation at 97,856 in 2011/2012. At an average cost of $3,000 per incident, all Michigan drivers share in the expense through insurance premiums. At the same time, hunters have killed one-percent less antlerless deer over the past three years. We are also in second place in the country for the most antlered bucks taken by hunters, but the figures reflect a whopping 59 percent being adolescents. That percentage places Michigan at the very top (or, bottom, if you will) when it comes to quality hunting opportunities. We continue to kill more juvenile deer than any other state.
Is it any wonder why Michiganders travel to neighboring states to spend their hunting dollars? If ever we are going to turn it around, we must change strategies. The antler point restrictions being proposed in northern Michigan will prove to be a wise decision, but more needs to be done. And, the DNR’s proposed fiscal year 2014 budget displays a bold move toward that end. Read more
A short video clip of a monster buck from Michigan’s Van Buren County is here.
To better understand predator-prey relationships, SCI Foundation helped fund studies on Whitetail deer in Michigan. In Michigan, Deer survival is influenced by many factors including disease, predation, weather, and hunter harvest. In the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, deer survival is especially influenced by winter food supply and cover. Predators also play a role in the survival of deer, particularly fawn survival during the spring and summer. Understanding deer survival and the factors that influence survival throughout the year is vitally important for proper management of the deer herd.
The Safari Club International Foundation has partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Mississippi State University, and the Michigan Involvement Committee of Safari Club International to better understand the impact of predation on deer, while also determining how predation is influenced by winter weather and deer habitat conditions. Learn more right here.
By Glen Wunderlich
As the firearms deer season progresses, deer are fewer. Careless deer have become freezer venison or have been educated. Remaining comfortable on stand becomes more problematic with colder weather upon us and it may be time for “Plan B”.
Enter the one-person chairblind – a relative newcomer to the bevy of store-bought blinds. These low-cost, hideout options have pros and cons and here’s a look at both. Read more
Skip’s Sport Shop held a buck pole and anecdotal results indicate a better year. Details here…
By Glen Wunderlich
The crisp, clear morning of opening day of firearms deer season in Shiawassee County was made to order. It was somewhat noisy with the crunchy ground afoot but an early start would mean plenty of time to settle in, well before dawn. The trick would be to remain comfortable amid temperatures in the mid-twenties – the coldest morning this fall.
At 7:45 as Ken Wallace was busy taking his 15-point buck across the road, movement caught my eye. My Leupold binoculars helped to identify the bushy, horizontal tail of a coyote, as it vanished in the brush heading away. But, moments later Read more
For many years, Michigan restricted hunters to a bucks-only harvest in order to protect the reproductive capacity of the herd. This approach sustained deer populations that, at times, were scarce but still allowed recreational opportunity and a chance to put food on the table. As deer became increasingly numerous and widespread, however, it became obvious to wildlife managers that a continued focus on maximizing deer production was no longer the best approach. Read more
MISSOULA, Mont. (Sept. 22, 2012)?A whitetail deer taken by a hunter in Wisconsin has fallen short of the score needed to become a new World?s Record, according to the Boone and Crockett Club.