New deer hunt rules proposed
By JOHN PEPIN, Journal Munising BureauArticle Photos
“I think it’s great. I think it could be a step forward for game management for all of Michigan,” said George Lindquist, a trustee with U.P. Whitetails of Marquette County and author of the proposal framework. “We’re real hopeful for this and it does give people some choice.”
The proposed regulation — which is supported by the eight chapters of U.P. Whitetails and the U.P. Sportsmen’s Alliance — would give deer hunters two options for purchasing license tags each season.
“This is a simple, easily understood, straightforward proposal. Give the hunter the option of one buck tag for the year, or buy the combination license with both tags restricted: one, three points to the side, the other, four points to the side,” Lindquist said.
The one-buck hunters would still be able to purchase antlerless deer harvest tags where available. Deer hunters purchasing both a firearm and bowhunting license would be limited to one antlered deer. But that buck would not be subject to antler point restrictions. The current definition of a legal buck, which is at least one antler three inches in length, would remain in effect.
Lindquist — who has worked with area hunters for years who are trying to adopt new buck tag provisions for the U.P. in the interest of strengthening the biological stability of local deer herds — presented the idea before the NRC and a subcommittee on fish and wildlife last month in Lansing.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources division chiefs — in agreement with DNR Director Rebecca Humphries — have since recommended the proposal be considered by the NRC at today’s meeting.
A monthlong public comment period will follow with the measure then likely up for a vote and possible approval at the NRC’s meeting on June 5.
NRC Commissioner John Madigan of Munising said the delay between the panel considering the idea today and voting on it next month is to give the public an opportunity to write letters or otherwise comment on the rule change.
“It’s up for public comment,” Madigan said. “It’s not a cut-and-dried thing.”
Madigan said the proposed regulation represents an attempt to “do something” after numerous meetings with U.P. deer hunters who have suggested changes to current hunting rules.
“We have had meeting after meeting in the Upper Peninsula and people are dissatisfied,” Madigan said. “We can’t have any more meetings and not do anything.”
For that reason, Madigan said he would support the rule. During today’s discussions, Madigan intends to suggest the implementation of the proposal should include some way of measuring the success or failure of the regulation.
NRC Commissioner J.R. Richardson of Ontonagon said after the idea was proposed by sportsmen, it was taken to the DNR.
“Biologists said it would not have an adverse effect on the deer herd,” Richardson said. “For the resource itself, I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor.”
A recent DNR survey of deer hunters asked “Which issues should be considered when setting hunting regulations statewide?”
Hunters indicated the following issues were important: the number of bucks (82 percent), followed by the number of deer (81 percent), deer herd health (77 percent), number of mature bucks (76 percent), car-deer accidents (50 percent), over-browsing of forest vegetation (49 percent) and agricultural crop damage (48 percent).
In their memo to the NRC, the DNR division chiefs seemed to acknowledge the idea behind the survey results — a better deer herd means better deer hunting and more hunter interest — which are reflected in the new proposal.
“The desire of deer hunters to restrict the harvest of young bucks, so that the deer can survive longer and likely produce larger antlers has increased in recent years,” the chiefs’ memo read.
The new regulation change is aimed at saving a higher number of yearling bucks from being shot prematurely, helping to improve buck to doe ratios and age structure classes.
“Having various age classes in bucks is very important for the social makeup of the herd — from breeding to learning where the best food sources are at various times of the year, to learning how to avoid predators,” Lindquist said. “The seasoned buck is also the one that knows how to make it through our tough winters, which is extremely important in helping even out our boom and bust cycles. This gets us away from having only one age class of bucks (yearlings) as the primary breeders.”
Lindquist said that currently, 65 percent of harvested bucks voluntarily brought to state check-in stations are yearlings.
Lindquist said bow hunters would be affected the least by the new regulations because those hunters can take does with their tags.
“If the bowhunting community filled just one of their combo tags with a doe for two years, they would be doing a great service with buck-to-doe ratios and then would have 2¢- and 3¢-year-old bucks to hunt,” Lindquist said.
Richardson said the measure has gained widespread support among most organized hunting groups in the U.P.
“There’s some people who don’t support it of course,” Richardson said. “But the majority want to see a change.”
