Hunter's holiday

Hard telling if changes to Michigan’s deer hunting regulations will play a role in this year’s white tailed deer harvest.

By JERRY NUNN


As hunters head to Michigan's wooldlands and farm fields, what can they expect to find in the way of white tailed deer? Depends on who you talk to.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates Northeast Michigan’s deer herd to be comparable in size to the past several years. But Northeast Michigan meat packers and sporting goods stores are giving mixed reviews based on this year’s bow season.

“So far, from what we’ve found the deer kill has been down,” said Bob Sharrard, a meat cutter at Narski’s in Alger. “Between the lack of hunters, the no-baiting issue and the crappy weather we’ve had on the weekends we haven’t had as many deer as last year.”

From what Sharrard says, the reduced numbers of deer brought into the store just norht of I-75 is probably not indicative of a smaller herd.

“Guys are getting photos on their trail cams, so the deer are out there,” Sharrard said. “There is goood nighttime activity, the hunters just aren’t seeing them while they’re in the woods.”

Hunters in Iosco County are taking a larger number of bigger deer, according to Bob Alward, of Alward’s Market in Hale.

“We’ve had a lot of nice bucks brought in,” Alward said, noting hunters there also report deer moving at odd hours. “A lot of guys are seeing them move in the middle of the day.”

Gary Poole, of Poole’s Meat Packing in Standish said this year’s Arenac County deer harvest is running comparable to last year, which he figured was a little higher than the year before.

As always hunters will find local variations. Perhaps that uncommon behavior is greater in some areas.

“Its been up and down, different reports depending on where you’re at,” said Dave Parker, of the Houghton Lake sporting goods store, Lyman’s on the Lake. “You have a few people saying they’re seeing a lot of deer and others saying they’re not seeing any at all.”

And while Parker agrees with others, that deer movement is not as it used to be, hunters in Roscommon County may find a difference in the size of deer as well.

“They’re really goofy moving, they’re seeing deer all times of the day,” Parker said. “But we’ve had some big deer on the buck pole out here, some really big deer. We’re seeing some real nice bucks coming in this year, so that’s good.”

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