Deer Rifle Season opens in Michigan tomorrow

Opening day starts bright and early tomorrow. Last year’s harvest, while smaller than years past, did offer the Department of Natural Resources important data to look into the 2024 season. DNR Wildlife Biologist Brian Roell says that the persistent warmer temperatures will keep deer from moving around earlier in the day, especially now that the herd has begun to develop its winter coat.

They’ve got their winter coats on now so when it gets up you know into the forties and fifties during the day they just don’t want to move because they’re hot. And so if you’re limiting where the does are going that’s going to limit them where the bucks are going. Looking to the ones that are looking to breed and so you’re going to see probably these warmer temperatures are going to decrease some activity particularly during warmer parts of the day. They’re not going to be looking for food… – Brian Roell, Wildlife Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Roell adds it’s not all bad news though for 2024. With last year’s herd likely able to find food sources faster in the spring DNR expects some large deer will end up on the dinner table.

You know nowhere in the U.P. do we have significant snow on the ground at this time and it doesn’t look like we’re going to even have a white deer season opener. That being said I do suspect  you are going to have a better hunting season than you did last year. f you’re one of your hunters, we’re seeing much better antler growth just because of they came out of the winter last year weren’t too stressed. – Brian Roell, Wildlife Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Last year the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began mandatory reporting of deer harvests. Along with the mandate the department launched an online reporting portal to make it easier for hunters to send details of their harvest into the state.

Well, the Keweenaw is in one of the zones that we’re looking for samples from Chronic Wasting Disease. So when you register your deer on your phone or your computer, you’ll see a little message that says we’re interested in getting a sample from your deer. So some of the processors we’ve worked with can collect samples. You can submit samples yourself. You can submit samples at the Baraga office, would be the closest for folks up in the peninsula. – Brian Roell, Wildlife Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Roell adds that the resource department hopes to encourage hunters in the Keweenaw peninsula to also send in samples for CWD, or chronic wasting disease testing. The state wants to track the spread of CWD in Michigan’s deer herd. Michigan DNR’s Deer Rifle season will open in time zone D at 7:12 am on November 15th. Anyone interested in learning more about the Michigan Deer season can find more details here.