Anyone paying attention to Michigan?

[craigrh13]

Is anyone here following the potential massive changes to be implemented to Michigan deer hunting? I've been actively involved for some time now and it looks like we are on the doorstep of a complete overhaul of deer regulations in Michigan. Some of the items to voted on at the next meeting in May are as follows:

- No more 2 bucks. Single tag will be antlerless only. Combo will become good for only 1 buck with a 3 pt apr in the UP, 3 pt APR in the NLP and 4 pt apr in the SLP.
- No more 10 day december gun hunting for bucks. It will be called the december gun season and last 3 days...Friday-Sunday.
- Change the 15 day November 15-30th gun season we have had since 1968 to 11/15-11/24 in the UP. The LP will open Saturday before thanksgiving and run for 9 days(mirrors Wisconsin).
- No more 10 universal doe tags for pretty much the whole state. Reduce that to 5.
- GETTING RID OF THE STRAIGHT WALL ZONE in Southern Michigan. The entire state will be any rifle.

There's a few more little things but that's the main parts. Yesterday's meeting was HUGE and the show out among the 45 and under crowd of hunters was massive. The meeting lasted 10 hours. Normally they are like 5-6 hours.

 

[cj13]

Besides removing the straight wall zone, I think all of these changes are a step in the right direction. Hopefully a few pass, starting with the one buck rule. I'd love to have better hunting opportunities in our state so I dont feel the need to travel to and hunt other Midwest states every season.

 

[Agross]

Agree totally with cj13

 

[Steve O]

I just built a 350L to explore zone 3 more. Figures. Hard to believe full blown centerfires are now “safe” down state…

It’s all politics; biologists have not had any input into our deer management this century. These moves are more of the same pushed by new special interest groups. I’m not expecting anything to improve but it certainly can’t get any worse.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I said almost all of these things 20 years ago when I lived there. Kudos it’s finally happening!

The straight wall seems kind of odd, but they were intended as a baby step for the all-rifle lobby anyhow. I think my straight walls will still work fine!

 

[Hickory1991]

Who the heck came up with any rifle for the southern zone. These people have any idea how far a rifle bullet can travel. Guess I can start using my 358 Norma mag or my 270 Weatherby mag around Lapeer. Unbelievable!

 

[Flat Range]

Besides removing the straight wall zone, I think all of these changes are a step in the right direction. Hopefully a few pass, starting with the one buck rule. I'd love to have better hunting opportunities in our state so I dont feel the need to travel to and hunt other Midwest states every season.

Agree

 

[Q_Sertorius]

They really cut down the season length. I would be pissed if it was my state.

 

[dårlig jeger]

They really cut down the season length. I would be pissed if it was my state.

The herd number is so low, most people are already beyond pissed. It's going to suck in the short term but if populations come back up, it will be worth it.

 

[cj13]

They really cut down the season length. I would be pissed if it was my state.

Bow season has historically filled any gap that wasn't a gun season. Right now you can hunt from October 1 to Jan 1st, and even longer in some counties. Theres plenty of hunting season. Crossbows are also allowed in archery seasons so theres nothing stopping anyone from hunting those 3 months.

 

[craigrh13]

I love that they will be removing the limited rifle line. We had a whole presentation in January on it. I've already started the shift away.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Bow season has historically filled any gap that wasn't a gun season. Right now you can hunt from October 1 to Jan 1st, and even longer in some counties. Theres plenty of hunting season. Crossbows are also allowed in archery seasons so theres nothing stopping anyone from hunting those 3 months.

My experience has been that “rifle season is the only real season” for a lot of people. And that compressing it just makes it a really miserable experience for a lot of people. But I don’t know the culture and traditions up there very well. I just have a couple of hunting buddies from Michigan who are always welcome on my farm in Virginia.

And I love Virginia’s new extended rifle season. I can rifle hunt for a month now, which lets me hunt as much as I want and take multiple groups hunting with me. Last year, I had one good hunting session with my brother and nephew, one good one with my friend John, and another with my friend Ian and his son. With multiple hunts on ny own or with my father in between. I don’t ever want to be a professional guide, but using my local knowledge to help set other people up for success is really satisfying. My father turns 80 in a few days, my goal is to help him get a deer this year.

It took all the pressure off to just blast the first buck I saw (although, to be fair, I did that anyway, but with our tag limits I was able to be more selective with the next one).

Reducing the number of doe tags is a great idea.

Not looking to argue with anyone. I just want what’s best for the sportsmen in every state.

Good luck getting these changes past the car insurance companies.

 

[Steve O]

The herd number is so low, most people are already beyond pissed. It's going to suck in the short term but if populations come back up, it will be worth it.

How do all these geniuses plan to BUILD the herd by giving every deer hunter a doe permit on their combo tag? Makes no sense.

The only areas of the state that have a decent deer population are where they are managed privately and the masses can’t get to them.

Fortunately I realized over 20 years I’m not going to get a quality deer hunt in my home state so l am almost always somewhere else in November.

 

[craigrh13]

The deer herd isn't hurting by any means. It's simply not what it was in the late 90's when it was an all time peak.

I've been one of the guys pushing for a change to gun season. the biggest reason is to move to a weekend, followed by a holiday week and get guns further away from the rut. 75% of all deer in gun season are killed in the first 3 days. The average hunter only spends 6 days hunting gun season.

 

[KnightExtreme]

Bow season has historically filled any gap that wasn't a gun season. Right now you can hunt from October 1 to Jan 1st, and even longer in some counties. Theres plenty of hunting season. Crossbows are also allowed in archery seasons so theres nothing stopping anyone from hunting those 3 months.

Unless you tag out , sad they no longer offer a Muzzleloading Season, it was bad enough they allow centerfire rifles in some of the DMU's. Funny a few years back 1 DNR Big Game Specialist was pushing taking more Antlerless deer and that fell flat as some that have had such in a few DMU's saw the diaster it had in small pockets where some did use the OTC Antlerless and Deer Numbers Drop like a rock and what the MI DNR told us was once you used them you would start seeing more and bigger bucks yet the opposition Happen saw few if any deer and if you did it was maybe 1 Fawn for 10 days of bow and 10 days for rifle! So They are not following Prop G as it was intended and Voted for, which was about Using Good Science to manage the deer herd and those now on the NRC are lost! Each time a few new commisioners get appointed the so called Plan changes entirely. (add in CWD to the mix) They won't follow through with what was to occur! And why it is bad when few will be hunting especailly with Shorter Rifle Season. I like Bow Hunting but gettting old to be out when it is so warm and waiting till late Oct was nice but by then AG Crops are Harvested and Deer change deer movement for new food sources, So what you thought was all different!
Lets now mention a lot fewer Deer Processors when you can't drag a deer home and no place to butcher 1. Last year was prime Example the MI DNR Directory had 90% of the Info listed was wrong, majority were listed in the wrong County. (And more are closing down.) And some that are are on private roads so you can't find them ( even with a Nav System) after Dark when you aren't from that area... ( hate to waste the meat) And they wonder why so many Michigan Deer Hunters are dropping out. They can't leave what was a Tradition Alone (the reason was that some years when it fell on a weekend or long weekend more deer were taken and when it fell on say a Tuesday Wednesday or Thursday less deer were so now deer numbers won't recover with these new changes and if there is a Hard Winter even less deer but that is how sciences works but that is no longer how the NRC sees it!) Sad glad I am aging I won't deal with the poorly managed system Michigan is heading for!!!
Been a landowner for 35 years and deer hunter 47 years and it has been slowly going down hill. And With the OBR less revenue dollars for the MI DNR so it will get a lot worse!!! As they have had budget issues for many years! And as mention it is all politics now - no science as local MI DNR Biologist are all but a thing in the past that once knew what was going on in that area. And Had Knowledge , Oh Well Bucks will be few as with the Combo was also a APR and it did little for more bucks on Michigans Landscape but if that did not work lets just make it OBR. Odd back in the Early 2000's the MI DNR had events / meetings after deer season were over and then a lot of Deer Hunters were for the OBR and The MI DNR did nothing when it was more accepted. Now it will just turn off some that kept hunting even when we know slim chance of taking a second buck after taking an 8 or better. So less dollars into Michgan's Economy when it once was too help small communities with dollars. That will be another Loss!!!
But most will never realize that this.
KE

 

[Flat Range]

The deer herd isn't hurting by any means. It's simply not what it was in the late 90's when it was an all time peak.

Thank you! Came here to say exactly this. Our herd population isn't hurting by no stretch of the imagination.

 

[Flat Range]

How do all these geniuses plan to BUILD the herd by giving every deer hunter a doe permit on their combo tag? Makes no sense.

I'm confused by this statement. The entire Lower Peninsula included the ability to shoot does with a combo tag as it is... The only thing this removes is the choice of two does, or two bucks, or one of each. Now, it's just one of each as I understand it.

 

[Steve O]

You boys that think the herd is fine and dandy must have some nice private land to hunt in the southern lower. I’d guess you are under the age of 45 as well.

 

[Agross]

Where do u hunt, and what does age have to do with it ? Not trying to argue. Genuinely curious

 

[Agross]

They really cut down the season length. I would be pissed if it was my state.

Where I hunt in Michigan there is some type of deer season from the middle of September to the middle of January right now. That’s four months of deer hunting. And although I don’t agree with it, there are all kinds of deer around.