Anyone paying attention to Michigan?

[dtrkyman]

I managed land in Illinois for a guy from Michigan, him and his family had the most ass backwards ideas for deer management I had ever been a part of, sorry to the fine Michiganders out there.

They refused to shoot does on the premise it attracted more bucks, duh, well when a buck is literally tripping over does during the rut he isn't making it very far!

They have a property in the thumb region, it was one of the most over populated area I have ever witnessed, 80 degrees in May and you could drive around and see 100 deer in a few miles mid day.

He had does on his property that knew all the guys by name by the time I was done there!

 

[Netherman]

I spent a great deal of time managing my land over the last 30 years in preparation to hand it off to my daughter (She goes to NMU this fall and is committed to living there) to see zero progress. This year we had our first little 10 points ever. My cousins shot them both on adjacent property promptly opening day. So yes, It's personal. Despite killing 12-15 deer and 4 bucks a year I've only killed 2 bucks in the U.P. this century. But my daughter did get her first this year on the same land as 4 generations did before her.

Did you write your name on them? Maybe your cousins didn't know they were yours?

To me "changing hearts and minds" is the trojan horse to eliminate the second buck tag. The true reason the supporters want OBR is for the above situation. I get that you put money and work into land management, trigger control, and a whole lot more. I just don't agree that taking away opportunity for all is the correct solution to this "problem".

 

[Netherman]

I managed land in Illinois for a guy from Michigan, him and his family had the most ass backwards ideas for deer management I had ever been a part of, sorry to the fine Michiganders out there.

They refused to shoot does on the premise it attracted more bucks, duh, well when a buck is literally tripping over does during the rut he isn't making it very far!

They have a property in the thumb region, it was one of the most over populated area I have ever witnessed, 80 degrees in May and you could drive around and see 100 deer in a few miles mid day.

He had does on his property that knew all the guys by name by the time I was done there!

This is why we have "too many deer" in Michigan and a OBR isn't going to fix it. The MI DNR needs to find a way to get hunters willing to shoot does onto these places. HAP, community outreach, take a kid hunting programs, late or early seasons, etc. The need to talk to farmers, outfitters, and leasees to figure out a way.

 

[Hickory1991]

Last year I looked into the HAP program for Lapeer county and not one property was listed. That’s the problem. No place to shoot does on private. It’s a shame. To see dozens of dead deer on I-69 going to waste. Not even enough funds in local governments to even pick them up anymore.