Snowy Start to Firearm Deer Hunting Season

It is a snowy start to rifle season in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Hunters started this morning at 7:11 am with about three inches of snow blanketing the forest floor. Hunters’ fears that last year’s winter weather would hurt the deer herd in the in Upper Peninsula did not come to fruition; the Michigan DNR reports that deer numbers in the region remain low in many areas, but they did fair well, with observations taking place over the summer. Acorn production appears down this year as well. A regional drought coupled with last year’s heavier crop, there seems to be a limit to one of the food sources for deer in Michigan. Antlerless harvests have continued to increase in frequency in the Upper Peninsula, last year hunters took one antlerless deer for every three to four square miles. There is variability between deer management units with how the new antlerless expanded harvest has affected the deer population, and does appear to have a limiting effect on population levels, as some have feared. The same regulation structure remains in place for the 2022 hunting season.  As a reminder hunters will need an access permit to participate in antlerless firearm deer hunting in Deer Management Units 351 and 352.

Deer Harvest totals this season in the Copper Country:

Baraga County: Antler – 116, Anterless – 15, total – 131

Houghton County: Antler – 123, Antlerless – 29, total – 152

Keweenaw County: Antler – 12, Antlerless – 2, total – 14

Ontonagon County: Antler – 131, Antlerless – 40, total – 171

Find a copy of the 2022 Deer Hunter’s Digest here.

State of Michigan Deer Hunting Preview

Legendary Whitetails – Weather and Whitetails Movement

Tufts University – How Deer Survive Harsh Winter Weather

Mossy Oak – What Makes a Good Wintering Area