Michigan Deer Hunting ?

[Nick Barber]

It has been a wierd season for much of Michigan to be sure. I am up in Charlevoix county and although there are lots of deer around I haven't seen a legal deer (we have the new Quality deer Management thing here for the second year)during daylight hours since the middle of October around here. I spent a couple of days during firearm season hunting in the Kalkaska area and saw a ton of deer but the only buck I saw was about 60 yards away and I was never able to close up the distance to him, everything else were does. That being said I have still had a good time trying.

[killinstuff]

You all can try and redirect the blame for your own failures but the true is you were in the wrong place when you were hunting in order to make a kill is all. That's hunting. More deer doesn't mean your odds will be better if you're in the wrong spot.  If I don't kill something it's no ones fault but mine because I was in the right place at the right time.

[Jon Stewart]

This has been one of our better years for seeing and taking deer.  I have seen more bucks than normal.  Hunting in a APR area now for two years if the young bucks that I saw make it thru the winter months there will be a good crop of deer next fall.

I took two deer for the first time in many years.

[Flingblade]

Killinstuff- I for one am not redirecting blame for my own failures.  If I hunt hard all season and end up with nothing but tags I'm ok with that and it makes me work harder the next season.  But I've lived and hunted in five different states including Iowa, Oklahoma, Illinois, Ohio and now Michigan.  If I were to rank those five on deer hunting Michigan comes in last.  For fishing it would rank #1.  When you hunt a state that does a good job managing deer like Iowa you see a stark contrast with a state like Michigan.  And I agree, it's not about numbers of deer alone.  It's about age structure and buck to doe ratio. I'm not sure  why a state like Michigan doesn't copy the management strategies of a state like Iowa.  They charge over $500 for a non-resident tag and have more applicants every year than tags.  Just my 2 cents; and honestly, most folks don't even think it's worth that.

[Steve O]

Originally posted by Bonebuster:
Snow cover reveals the deer population in a given area.

Take the time to hike areas after a fresh snowfall, and you will be able to see just how many deer there are in a given area.

Last January I did this very thing several times in several areas in the N.E. Lower, and I can tell you there were VERY few deer there BEFORE we had any winter loss.

If you have good numbers of deer in your area, consider yourself lucky...and hope that it remains that way.

The Michigan DNR has, IMHO, SEVERELY mismanaged the deer herd for well over a decade. I am not alone in this thinking.

I truly do not believe ANYTHING they (the DNR)  bring forth as far as harvest reports, license sales OR pre season deer populations.

I believe hunter numbers are UNDER REPORTED...I believe harvest figures are OVERESTIMATED, and that populations are OVERESTIMATED.

Money truly is the root of all evil...whitetail management in Michigan revolves around MONEY.

Our DNR is constantly banking on the adaptability of the whitetail.

All a hunter can do is NOT shoot a deer?

Ding, ding, ding...we have a correct answer. Deer hunting in Michigan is depressing in all but a VERY few tiny pockets.

The DNR has mismanaged the deer herd for much more than one decade--it is closer to three. They should have never allowed the population explosion of the 80s followed by the unchecked slaughter of the 2000s. Having hunted deer in at least a dozen other states I am confident in saying Michigan has NO deer herd management other than sell as many tags as possible.

[Chain2]

I hunt the Pigeon River State Forest and have for years. I also used to clear and plant for the state. There is a 20 mile or so loop we used to drive and any time of year you saw 20-30 deer  and always a few racked bucks ( while they still had their antlers). You can drive that loop now and not see a deer. I see the timber is being cut but I don't see the planting at all. No planting food crops, these danged youth hunts, crossbows, baiting have really changed the deer activity in the Pigeon. I think the youth hunts take out a lot of bucks, that never get to breed. I don't want to say this too loud though, if the DNR figures out that all the deer movement is nocturnal, they will have a night crossbow youth hunt before the rut, to sell more tags. My rant. I sound like an old fogey, saying it's not like it used to be, but it really isn't. Sorry I was so long winded. Have a good weekend Guys.

[agross1]

Ehd, extremely harsh winter, coyotes, way to many tags, deer seasons of some form from September till January 1st, all adds up to a lot less deer.  I will love deer hunting till the day I die, but as far as seeing deer, this year was very disappointing.  The numbers are way ,way down where I hunt.   And it's the same with everyone I talk to.     I saw more bucks than does this year, and I only saw two mature does the whole season.   Very odd year.  Wasn't much of a rut around us either.   I keep my cameras out till January , and since the gun opener, 99 percent of my pics are from midnight to 6 am.  
     Not trying to sound like a whiner , just telling it how it is.   On the positive side, I saw some of the nicest bucks I've seen, this year.   As did the neighbors.   At least a couple have made it so far(nocturnal), so I am optimistic about next year already.   Good luck to all.

[mangonboat]

I hunted 1 1/2 days with my brother and dad about 15 miles north of K'zoo the third weekend in October. Had 14 deer within range first morning in a grove of white oaks, a doe and fawn that night then the wind picked up pretty good and nothing but squirrels the next morning. The corn was still standing in most of the nearby fields and I'm sure that impacted deer habits. Another hunter on the same property got a nice 9 point this year.

[Chain2]

I don't know where the north-south line is but I know people see a lot more deer south of me.

[Bladepeek]

I have no evidence to base this opinion on, but I'm thinking all the TV trophy shows and the aggressive marketing of bait and cameras just has a ton of hunters moving around through the woods from late July through the various seasons. Where the number of archery hunters used to be small, everyone now has a bow (mostly with wheels on it) and are out there whenever possible before season opens scouting.

We always used to see herds of deer (mostly does, but a few bucks) hanging out in the evening at the rear of our lighted skeet field. Last year and this year, the area has been beaten to death with trail cam checking several times/day and bait being put out in the bedding areas. That will certainly make a deer nocturnal.

[kill shot]

Chain2 is right about the youth hunts. I had to tell a lot of people NO to hunting at the lodge who wanted to "let the kids get a deer". I know they seen the same deer I saw out in the bean fields. I just didn't think it would be fair to the bowhunters to go to my archery only lodge and to have bucks taken out with guns earlier. I am going to take a kid there to hunt december 28 for 1 day but thats it. After this it will be 100% archery to everyone. But yes the youth hunt and early antlerless hunts take a lot away from our state.

[PEARL DRUMS]

What percentage of Michigan hunters are responsible hunters? I bet the number is quite high, there has to be much more good than bad. That leads me to this: Who is killing all these deer we cant find if most of us know better?

[Chain2]

Responsible in this case is a relative term. I think slot of hunters are I it for the destination not the journey. I know my posts might sound like I am also but that isn't true. I like seeing deer , I line getting close to deer. How many crossbows would be sold if everyone tried to get within. 20 yds. Remember when they were just for the older or handicapped hunters. To most of the hunters I interact with , the end justifies the means. I always tell them I haven't developed the hate for the whitetail that they have, when they tell me their hunting practices, i.e. Baiting, hunting in heated closed blinds, hanging lights over bait etc. I am by the way the only one who shoots traditional.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Imagine the impact felt when wheely bows stole the scene from glass bows in 1960-70 something. Wonder if all the traditional hunters blamed the wheely guys for a lack of deer? After all, that weapon is incredibly powerful compared to theirs.

Id like to see more deer as well, but the journey is really all I care about. Deer or not. I make all my own bows and arrows and LOVE hunting them. Kill anything or not.

[killinstuff]

If you are into "the journey" hunt better. Deer are still there. Why blame others because you didn't put yourself in the right place? Why care what others do?   I don't get it when guys handicap them selves on propose but then complain that it isn't fair that everyone else has better odds of killing something.  You know what you're getting yourself into so what's the bitch? It's a wonder there's a single deer left in Michigan with all they have to over come just to survive daily, their life cycle being extremely short and only giving birth to 1 or 2 babies a year.

[finkm1]

Nobody's bitching or complaining. They are stating an observation about deer numbers in their area. I hunt the Maple River State Game Area which was devastated by EHD 2 years ago. That year I only saw a couple of deer which was understandable. Last year I missed a 6pt,shot a  8pt and had another chance at another 8pt. This year I saw several deer the first 10 days of the season then for some reason they went nocturnal. There was plenty of sign, scraps, rubs. all of my mock scraps were getting attention. I've never seen a season like this. Its not because of the compound or crossbow shooters, I just can't explain why the deer went nocturnal. The deer numbers are down, we all know that. In my area it is a FACT. Also on the private land around the state land that I hunt has been very well set up with cover and food plots. Its legal and there is nothing wrong with it. I would do the same if I owned the property. I just have to change my tactics every season if I want to be successful.

[killinstuff]

Here's the other thing, I don't believe deer "go nocturnal" . The just don't go to the spot you're hunting during day light sometimes more than likely cause they know somethings up.  But they are up and moving around someplace else during the day.

[Overspined]

I've seen NOCTURNAL, live and in action!  It does happen, a lot. Some pressure is all it takes, esp if deer are mature, including does.  

I've watched em get up, walk to the edge of a field, a whole 20 yds, and wait until dark to walk out into the field. It was really kind of eye opening.  One nice buck literally stood there, just looking around, until dark, where they all went out tearing around the field during PEAK rut. Nov 8.

That particular time was in an area with very little pressure.  They just get smart.

On a totally different note, I saw a booner that was not shy at all in the same area, several days in a row.  Might have missed him a couple times one night...lol.  He never wised up because a longbow is but a whisper.
I believe in nocturnal deer for sure.  


Checking cameras and all the activity in the woods definitely can put em down. They always have plenty of dark hours to breed.

[Bonebuster]

I can head out RIGHT now, read some deer sign, set up, and have a good chance at killing a deer.

This DOES NOT mean I should.

[killinstuff]

Overspine, that doesn't mean they are nocturnal. That just means they won't go into an open field during the day. That deer was someplace during the day doing deer stuff.