Pretty slow deer season here in S.E. Michigan, how was it for you in Michigan?

[limbow]

I wanted to comment on how slow my archery season was for 2011 and ask if fellow tradgangers here in Michigan experienced the same.
The season started off slow in October and remained so until yesterday-the end of our whitetail season. I had minimal encounters with doe which to me was a bit alarming. There was a time when I was harvesting doe annually with my stick and string to try and balance the buck to doe ratio, not this year. A few opportunities presented itself but I passed for the lack of encounters I had and I did not want to add to the problem.

I hunt 110 wooded acres of private ground that is surrounded by agricultural fields. I have three trail cameras set up throughout this property and have noticed deer numbers dwindle over the past three years. I am certain the over the counter unlimited doe tags have finally taken a tole on the overall population which I thought would be impossible to do.

Anyone else seeing a decline?

[heartshoth]

Totally agree...I'm in Westerm Mi and hunt a160 acre, 80 acre and a separate 80 in Morley and saw the least amount of deer EVER in 25 yrs..got skunked more than not..still enjoyed my time out but a little discouraging

[bluemoonrising]

Kevin--I had a great season this year(2 does and 2 bucks), but over the last 10 yrs or so, I haven't seen as many deer as I use to. I attribute the numbers being down to baiting, liberal seasons, poaching, people that hunt that shouldn't be, the use of electronics (no offense) deer becoming more nocturnal,deer patterning my hunting techniques,and so on. What I'm trying to say is that there are so many variables that it's hard to say why certain areas seem to be down.  And all that being said, I had one of my best years in southern Hillsdale County. Hopefully, next season will be great for all of us! Peace!

[DGF]

My overall deer sightings were down but buck sightings remained about the same or better. I believe we have been spoiled in the past with the quantity (not the quality) of deer seen. Although my hunting in other states has been limited to game other than whitetail comparatively I think our deer numbers are higher than other states in southern MI. I would be happy to see the numbers stay close to where they have been this year even if it means a tighter quota on doe and buck tags.

[Rick Butler]

I learned something this year.. Deer prefer corn to soybeans.

  The farm we hunt was planted in soybeans this year while the adjoining properties(separated by small woodlots) were planted in corn.  I spent many mornings watching deer entering and leaving these cornfields(which we don't have permission to hunt)and pretty much leaving the bean fields alone.
   As far as numbers of deer, we still see plenty but it's frustrating when they're on the other side of the fence.

[xtrema312]

I have been seeing about a 5 year slide over the three counties I hunt, Van Buren, Berry, and Kalamazoo.  This year was very slow.  Youth season with guns in September, early antlerless gun season in September, and way too many doe permits.  Deer seasons from mid September to Jan 1 with way to much gun use.  Deer are going underground now before bow even opens.

Deer kill spotted along the roads has been low this year.  Deer numbers are way down or they learned how to cross roads a lot better the last couple of years.

I have seen the deer pic's on bulletin boards all over go way down in number with this year very noticeable. Many people had very slow years.  I have lost track of how many people saw no deer or shot no deer when they typically shoot at least one.

Too many people shooting way too many does in some areas.   There are pockets of people shooting 4-6 deer I have talked with, but most of them shot all does and many smaller ones. This used to happen way too much and now it is just a few people I run into here and there.  Most of them even said it was real slow and they shot every deer they got a chance to shoot. No wonder things are going downhill.  

I know people who shoot 3-4 deer a year and they were lucky to get one this year.  6 hunters I know well usually shoot about 8 bucks and 5 does the average year.  This year the 6 got 1 buck and 3 does. Three shot nothing.  I know 12 hunters that hunt a big track.  They only shoot bucks.  Typically, they shoot about 10-11 bucks in gun and muzzle loader season.  This year they got about 8 and obviously some went without and only one I know of shot two.  

If we want to keep hunter numbers, people need to see deer.  Cannot have people going out and not getting a deer or seeing hardly anything and expect them to come back out while someone a little ways away wipes out the population. Some of us may be seeing about the same or seeing less, but better bucks.  That is not the norm in most areas of southern MI from what I am seeing and hearing all over.  

I am sure the  DNR will say we have more deer than ever.  Just wait until next year and see what happens. I bet even more people will see the slow down.  I sure hope we make some changes before it is too late and we end up with years of poor hunting.

I am about ready to head south to hunt.  I know guys that go out of state public land hunting and see tones of deer and many large bucks when hunting. They pass up stuff about every day out of state they would jump all over here.  They are just shocked at how good the hunting is out of state compared to MI.

[chad graham]

i would say numbers are down for sure around here i saw less deer this year,and im sure the unlimited over the counter doe tags have done more bad than good.just because you can buy as many tags as you want doesnt mean you should fill as many as you can!pretty soon we will have to apply for doe permits again.as said before too much gun season now with the early and late doe seasons so much for peaceful non spooky deer to start bow season,those days are gone for now as well as a late bow season which i used to enjoy and now have to hear gun shots until jan.1.the dnr seems to just want to sell tags,are they $ hungry?i would say so!!just my 2 cents.

[killinstuff]

Allowing bait again brought a lot more hunters up north from what I saw. More guys and artificial food in the woods messed things up for me pretty good. There were no acorns and the few deer I did see were just grabbing a leaf here or a weed there as they moved. Once they found a bait pile it was over. They camp out a few 100 yards away and wait for dark to go fill their bellies each night.  

And we didn't have snow for the late season either. December for me is the best time of year but I need snow to keep them in the cedar swamp. Not this year.

CJ

[C. Halstead]

Same here! I hunt all over the state on public/private land. All my spots usually produce deer sightings. Not this year. Guess I'm going to have to burn some boot leather come spring to find more productive spots!

[Uncle Buck]

I lived in Michigan for 41 years moved to GA along with my job in 96. I have always thought a big part of the problem was a politically motivated DNR. Insurance companies are big contributors to campaign funds and they want to reduce payouts for deer- car crash claims (millions of $). The most expedient way to do this is to reduce the number of deer ao we get unlimited doe tags. They could have tried driver education and awareness but that costs money  Selling tags actually brings in money. I know I sound a little like a conspiracy nut,so I will get off my soapbox now. But I think part of the answer is a DNR run by wildlife professionlas and not politicians

May God Bless
Buck

[CDR]

Uncle Buck, I think you hit the nail on the head!!

[59Alaskan]

I am originally from MI.  My family there has seen drops the past few years. As for me here in Ohio on the land I hunt I've had fewer encounters the past 2 years that's for sure.  I still got within 3 a bow range this year but couldn't get a shot off for one reason or another.

[450 marlin]

A few years ago, the DNR in my area pulled up to the State Land I hunt with a dog trailer(multiple doors)
and started opening doors releasing more coyote into the area...

[doctari]

I had a good year in southeast Michigan, 2 does and a five point buck. I shot the five point and while field dressing a lone doe came by and had my bow by me, she only went about thirty yards. I spent two weeks up in the northern lower in early November and never pulled my bow back. Had a great time in my wall tent, but seen very little deer.

[agross1]

The last couple of years the number of deer I am seeing has declined.  But this year was by far the worst ever.  I have been hunting the same piece of land for 20 years and this is the first time I didn't take a deer off it.  
  I saw far fewer deer .  The deer I did see were young bucks and young doe.  I only saw two mature doe all year.  The deer I saw were extremely spooky and nervous and didn't want anything to do with being in the open.  In past years I would maybe go out only a few times and not see deer.  This year I would say I got skunked 25 times between all the seasons.  Just about everyone I talked to; friends,taxidermist, and a couple processors all said they were down as well.
  I attribute to several things.  Too many seasons, being able to hunt from September to January.  Being able to shoot so many doe.  I believe in my county you could buy 5 doe tags a day.   And before this year in all the years I have hunted this property I have seen one coyote.  This season I saw 4 different ones(got one, missed another) and heard many many more.  
  I personally wish they would go back to one buck tag and cut back the doe tags.
  In short, hands down the worst season I've ever had.

[onewhohasfun]

I guess I feel lucky. The area I hunt is small, but it is very thick. Swamp, with lots of redbrush and bunch grass. Once gun season starts the deer really load up in there. Around Nov. 20 I spotted seven different groups of deer, all within 40, acres one morning. It is like this every year. They pretty much stay in the area til the middle of Dec. There are no crops within 2 miles. I think they will forego food for security. I also think they are getting smarter, harder to hunt every year. I had 6 stands this year and in late season I got busted in all but one of them, a very thick pine tree stand. I do much more scouting than hunting now and move stands throughout the season. I agree there are fewer deer now than in the past and they are more wary and sensitive to pressure.  I also leave one third of my area to sancuary and never set foot in there. I also have been reading hunters in Oh, Ill, Iowa, Wis. all feel the same way. Numbers are way down. Too many does being taken.

[kennyb]

I agree with extrema312. there are way too many guns here killing deer in all these 'special' seasons. why can't everyone be excited about November 15th opener like we were when we started hunting? it's completely out of control. this is the second straight year I've been skunked with my bow! Thanks.

Kenny    

[owlbait]

I've posted this before: One Doe Tag, One Buck Tag. Mandatory check-in. Try it for a couple years to see what happens. Then monitor doe tags as needed per DMU. We have NO NEED for 2 buck tags, our buck:doe ratio is completely out of whack as is.

[Pops]

I agree with owlbait, mandatory check-in would
help the dnr. Cut out all this extra hunts before
Oct.

[C. Halstead]

X2 Owlbait! How do you actually do something about this?