Hope all of you Michigan folks have been going to the DNR's meetings on deer population goals. Seems like everyone that hunts, especially bow hunters would be interested in providing input for the future. For the most part the recommendations are to reduce populations from 15-60% from 2005 levels. Some places they are recommending no change or an increase in the pou. These are set by each Deer management unit ( DMU). I've been to a couple, and it is obvious from the poor turnout most folks don't seem to care what happens. They are providing hunters a chance to provide input before the deciusion is final next month. For those who are intersted, the proposed goals by DMU cna e found at: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-1...29948--,00.html
There is an old saying, "if you don't vote don't bitch about who gets elected." Same goes here. There has been a lot of talk about cutting back the bow season the save deer. This time there just might be enough people listening to make that happen.

It is not that we are not interested in what is going on but the short time from when they schedule this meetings to when they happen is a short time period. It is like the NRC Mettings they give you about a two week notice and that for many is not able to squeeze it in in that short a time.

Add to that the DNR Mr Clute is not very open to public opinion. And the NRC is not open to what it's biologists have to recommend. In 2005 for the area I hunt the local DNR Guy suggested that they split the County in Half being more farms in the southern half and less in the northern part which he has been suggesting for a while, first they stated they did not want to confuse the hunters since they change the DMU Numbering System recently and would just make it more confusing. Either you are above this road or below it what is so hard about that? Last year he also suggested bring back the Parcel Numbers for Antlerless Permits because it seems that many are advising they are owners or guests and no means to check if they are or aren't. They did not want that included then I was asking about it prior to that the DNR Director suggested just how easy it is to get that number but truly how many are going to, it is just to keep the honest people honest and how can a CO investigate if a antlerless deer was shot on public or private if they have no way of knowing but asking and then the guy might not have access to the Private and they only give out ones for Private in the area I hunt so they gave away a tool. And when you see many antlerless deer carcasses in the federal forest that suggests that they were take in the Federal Forest yet no permits are open for Federal or State Land in that DMU... I have seen two and three of them piled up... They talked about going to one Buck this year but only in the UP but truly how many hunters see that many deer with more than 4 points on one side especially since they open the Antlerless Permits. I see about 5% of the Deer I was seeing and as for the Bucks even less if any. Yet the whole time they were telling us wait it is only going to get Better and you will be seeing more and bigger bucks well just the opposite has happened, I see maybe two or three fawns no mature deer and rarely any bucks and the ones I do are buttons. I hunt with 5 others and they see does but jump them on the way in in the morning before light or after dark on their way out but never see a buck either, prior to being able to get an antlerless permits we would see 3 to 5 bucks during Bow and two or three during rifle and all kinds of mature Does and the Bucks would be following some of the does, today that is not the case. With all that the high Gas Prices and increase in motel Costs it will be hard for many to be able to justify a lot of hunting especially when they aren't seeing anything and spending all day out in the woods when before they were seeing Does though they could not shoot them they were seeing Deer it is hard to continue for many if you are not even seeing deer anymore... Less camps and hunters in the woods also and year after year you see even fewer must be a reason I guess the DNR just does not see or understand it but the Auto Insurance Companies are liking it.

Seems more are moving out to the rural areas and more people on the road the more chances of car / deer accidents it is all in the numbers but they can't see that just that there are too many deer and they need to come way down... Take all the enjoy out if you bring a young person and they don't see anything they lose interest quickly and you can't blame them... So they need to try something new like One Buck per year for all hunters across the state and not just the UP...

I can go on but I guess only some of us seem to see this in our areas it is not statewide but it soon will be...

Mike /LFM