Deer season opens Monday
by John Morris
EAST TAWAS - The 2004 deer hunting season is expected to be similar to last year, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources statewide forecast.
During the 2003 season, an estimated harvest of 500,000 deer was taken, or about the size of Michigan's deer herd in 1970, said Rodney Clute, the state whitetail deer expert.
Clute said DNR biologists estimate Michigan's statewide fall whitetail population to be about the same as it has been in recent years, still above the statewide goal.
"This deer herd is dynamic and therefore not evenly distributed across the state," he said. "Most of the deer population resides on private land.
"In the last decade the southern half of the Lower Peninsula has contributed an increasing percentage of the statewide deer population."
Clute said for the last two years, the estimated Southern Michigan deer harvest exceeded the combined estimated harvest for Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
The deer herd in the northern Lower Peninsula is about the same or slightly lower than in 2003, according to biologists. The DNR says the buck harvest is expected to be similar to last year but the antlerless deer harvest is expected to be down.
Clute said the herd in this part of the state has been intentionally reduced. "At that time (2003), car-deer crashes and crop damage were at unacceptable, record levels," he said. "The deer herd remains over goal in a few DMU's (Deer Management Units) but is at or below goal in many others.
"There are fewer DMU's open to take antlerless deer on public land than in 2003. However, to help eradicate bovine tuberculosis (TB) in deer, a large number of antlerless deer licenses in the bovine TB positive counties will be continued.
He also said leftover public land antlerless licenses in these seven-county special regulations units will be sold over the counter until the quota is reached.
In the northeast management unit of Iosco, Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon counties, DNR biologist Glen Matthews says there is expected to be a deer population similar to the past two years. He said although last winter was moderately difficult, winter mortality was relatively low and fawn production appears to have been good.
Matthews said in some areas, the deer population remains above goal level and a buck harvest similar to 2002 and 2003 is expected.
Overall, he said the number of antlerless licenses available will result in a deer harvest composed of approximately 50 percent antlerless deer. He said the private land antlerless license quota continues to be liberal in many deer management units and the public land antlerless licenses are fewer in several deer management units.
Matthews says the best success rates will be experienced in the mixed agricultural and forest land areas of Iosco, Ogemaw and western Antrim and Charlevoix counties. He said Alpena and Alcona County hunters will have good success rates, though slightly lower than in past years. Public lands in Alcona, Crawford, Montmorency and Roscommon counties will provide good opportunities to hunt deer, according to Matthews.
"Acorn production appears to be significantly better than last year," he said. "Red oaks are producing modest mast in quite a few locations and where they are still available in November; hunters will be taking advantage of them.
"Deer will also be foraging on the ground in open areas, farm fields and lowlands until snow cover."
Matthews said there is a continuing need for deer samples for the bovine TB surveillance effort. Deer hunters are urged by the DNR to locate a check station and submit their deer head for testing. During the firearms season, all stations that were open last year will be operating.
In the Saginaw Bay Management Unit of Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties, DNR biologist Tim Reis says whitetail deer numbers remain slightly above population goal in many portions of the region.
Reis said in the Thumb area, deer numbers are greater than last year. He said the availability of antlerless licenses on private lands has been increased in Tuscola County, but remains the same for Sanilac and Huron counties.
Reis said hunters should expect a good season. "The only thing that might impact hunter success is a late corn harvest, which is very possible this year due to a wet spring and cool summer," he said. "The biggest issue for hunters this year will probably be corn conditions. Many fields were planted very late this year, likely resulting in standing corn up through more of the season than usual."
Deer populations seem to be at or above population levels in Bay, Saginaw, Isabella, and Midland counties. Deer population levels remain stable in Gladwin County and slightly above population goals in Arenac and Clare counties.
Hunters can anticipate similar hunting results in Gladwin and Clare counties compared to last season, he said. The harvest should be slightly up in eastern Arenac County.