Michigan Natural Resources Commission to consider new deer hunting regulations

LANSING, Mich. — On the first day of summer, let’s talk about fall: deer season, specifically.

Last week, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission heard recommendations from the DNR’s new Deer Management Initiative (DMI) on how to manage the state’s growing deer herd amid declining hunting that has been going on for decades.

“There’s more listening than in the past,” said Chad Stewart, deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR.

For months, Stewart met with hunters, representatives of state conservation clubs and even people “critical” of his department for the sake of the initiative, a task that totaled hundreds of hours for him and several other people involved.

“I have to give huge credit to the members of those groups,” Stewart told FOX 17 on Friday.

Virginia deer — White-tailed deer depicted in the forest

Splitting its recommendations between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, the DMI named several regulatory and non-regulatory items for the commission to consider, also seeking input from Michigan tribal representatives.

Regulatory elements in the lower peninsula…

Continue mandatory reporting
Apply the one-second gain rule
Modify the combined license to authorize one deer of both sexes (regular tag) and one deer without additional antlers (restricted tag)
Adopt 3 or 4 restrictions on timber points on each side throughout the peninsula, depending on location.
Reduce antlerless bag limits in the northwest Lower Peninsula from 10 to 5
Reinstate baiting in counties where chronic wasting disease or bovine tuberculosis has not been detected in white-tailed deer
Expanding end-of-season urban archery to other counties, including Kent
Extend early and late antlerless seasons to public lands (already allowed on private lands)
Restoring the traditional muzzleloader season
Allow drones to recover killed deer
Expand the Hunter Access Program

Regulatory articles in the Upper Peninsula…

Restoring year-round coyote season
Allow antlerless deer hunting with archery equipment only at the start of the archery season, thereby limiting availability late in the season.
Eliminate antlerless permits in deer management units 351 and 352
Set antlerless licenses to expire on November 14
Adopt a restriction of 3 points of wood per side
Allow deer management assistance permits only in southern deer management units
Review the regulations every three years
Continue hunter safety courses in schools

Watch Chad Stewart’s full presentation to the NRC on behalf of the Deer Management Initiative here.

For each recommendation, the Deer Management Initiative shared the level of support from its members. In the Lower Peninsula, expanding late-season urban archery (100%) and maintaining mandatory reporting (96%) received the most approval, while the use of drones ( 46%), the expansion of restrictions on the tip of the woods (54%). and changes to the combined license (54%) received the least attention.

Additionally, NRC commissioners also proposed reinstating a three-point restriction in DMU 122, adding restrictions on combined licenses, and changing free-range and independent hunts to hunt antlerless only.

“It’s kind of like an engine,” Stewart said of the recommendations. “It’s the collection of all the pieces together that help it work.”

Regarding non-regulatory items in the Lower Peninsula, recommendations focused on increasing the number of harvesters and hunters, with the initiative citing increased education on antlerless deer harvest, increased funding for sportsmen of Michigan against hunger, improving public lands and more as priorities.

LEARN MORE: Deer harvest totals declining in Michigan, DNR discusses regulations with FOX 17

Farther north in the Lower Peninsula, however, the deer population is relatively sparse, leading the DMI to request funds for habitat protection, a plan for wolves and other predators, revised DMU lines and additional ways for UP residents to participate in the NRC. , among others.

“We face two different sets of challenges on each peninsula,” Stewart said.

During this months-long meeting process, Stewart emphasized that the relationship between some hunters and the DNR could use repair: “Let’s be real: The Department of Natural Resources is a government agency,” he said. declared. “There is certainly a layer of distrust with any level of government.”

Through the crowdsourced campaign, he believes not only can the state’s deer population be better managed, but also confidence in the department.

On Wednesday, June 26, the NRC will discuss the DMI’s regulatory recommendations in a work session and decide whether to adopt or modify them on July 11, in time for the next deer season.

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