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Deer herd numbers down in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

 

 

By KEVIN WALKER

Michigan Correspondent

 

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has decided not to cancel the deer hunt in the Upper Peninsula for this fall; however, it is actively considering eliminating the antlerless (meaning basically doe) harvest during archery season.

Six options were presented to the NRC during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting May 7. Option one was no change in policy; option two, cancel the deer season in the Upper Peninsula; option three, eliminate the combination license; option four, eliminate antlerless deer harvest during archery season; option five, eliminate antlerless harvest during late season; and option six, eliminate Liberty and Independence hunts.

Commission members agreed to consider only options one and four for the next meeting. The NRC will decide in June if option four will be enacted, or if nothing at all will be done for the coming season.

The NRC made its decision after hearing a presentation on the problem of a too-small deer population in the Upper Peninsula, from DNR deer expert Chad Stewart. He presented the commission with its six options.

"We’re looking at the lowest antlered buck harvest in 30 years," he added.

The DNR can evaluate the number of antlered deer that are harvested and extrapolate from that to the total deer population. Stewart also noted in the winters of 2013 and 2014, few fawns survived.

"This is a heated and passionate topic, which can be pretty divisive," Stewart said at one point. "These are not recommendations, just food for thought." In other words, it’s up to NRC members what to do with the information.

The Upper Peninsula’s Engadine Feed & Supply owner Richard Pershinske said in a separate interview that the selling of deer feed is a big part of his business during the year, and the deer-hunting season is a major source of revenue.

"For me, for us business-wise, it’s a major part of our business during the 12-months," he explained. "It’s not just me. When you look at every mom-and-pop store around having deer feed for sale, you know it matters."

He said deer hunters patronize local restaurants, firearms stores and other businesses during the hunting season. He explained deer-hunting season is sort of like "Christmas with guns."

But the effects of the last two winters are getting in the way of all that. Snow depths have made it difficult for deer to feed in the winter, Pershinske said. He is also a member of the Michigan Farm Bureau’s Natural Resources Advisory Committee.

"Weather conditions have been pretty bad the past couple of years," he said. "The herd size is severely depressed from what we’re used to. Besides that, we have a new predatory animal here that we didn’t have 15 or 20 years ago."

He’s referring to the gray wolf population, which has exploded over the past 20 years. DNR Wildlife Chief Russ Mason said at the meeting there’s "anecdotal evidence" that a significant increase in the coyote population may be playing a role in lower deer numbers. He said the DNR should study the problem.

Commissioner Rex Schlaybaugh said 40-60 percent of the coyote population must be "removed from the landscape" each year in order to keep the coyotes in check.

Everyone seemed to agree for the next several years, hunters can expect the Upper Peninsula deer population to be depressed.

"These are the three worst winters we’ve had up there," said Commissioner J.R. Richardson. "None of these options is going to produce much of a difference for years to come."

Stewart sounded a hopeful note when he told the commission that so far this year, the DNR has not lost any of its collared deer since April. "I can’t say we’re out of the woods yet, but right now it looks far better than it was," he said.

5/13/2015