2022 Deer season

[dak109]

Along with my depredation curiosity, it seems the reduction zones are intact. 10 deer in the reduction zones. These are the things that make me question how the state is managing the herd.
That being said, I’m not the guy that travels multiple counties killing does.

 

[gregr]

Come on, guys !!! The state knows what it's doing. Making money

The DNR has to make money if you want professional biologists to manage game populations, and especially white-tail deer. Personally, I do. It`s not an easy task. The problem usually begins either when hunters think they know better than the wildlife biologists, and/or, when politicians butt in and apply non-scientific, politically expedient "fixes" that aren`t necessary.

 

[Michigan Slim]

yeah.... that's only 2 counties not the entire state or statewide as was suggested!

I don't hunt the entire fing state. I can only report on MY area.

 

[greg]

Along with my depredation curiosity, it seems the reduction zones are intact. 10 deer in the reduction zones. These are the things that make me question how the state is managing the herd.
That being said, I’m not the guy that travels multiple counties killing does.

And very few Hunters do that also.....

 

[greg]

I don't hunt the entire fing state. I can only report on MY area.

Exactly....and NO one hunts the entire state

 

[greg]

Along with my depredation curiosity, it seems the reduction zones are intact. 10 deer in the reduction zones. These are the things that make me question how the state is managing the herd.
That being said, I’m not the guy that travels multiple counties killing does.

Depredation findings are in the yearly Deer report.

 

[El Conquistador]

I can tell you that in Jefferson county where I hunt and own land the deer sightings are down from where it was in the past. I have hunted many places around the State but mostly Jefferson county for the past 40 years. When I started deer hunting back in the early 80’s a buck sighting was rare then I watched the deer numbers increase over the years.
In Jefferson county I started seeing a decrease in deer numbers several years ago I also started hearing about EHD effecting the herd. In 2018 a buddy of mine that owns 500 acres about a mile from my place found 30 or 40 dead bucks in or around his ponds. That same year I shot a nice buck chasing a doe during muzzy season that had EHD.
In the past I could drive around in the evenings and see hundreds of deer in the fields. Now I can take the same routes and maybe see 10 or so deer on a good evening. Not sure if its years of generous anterless tags or EHD or a combination of both that has caused the reduction or what. I do feel we are getting close to what it was to when I first started hunting in the 80’s.
I have owned my land since 2007, I own 100 acres and have permission to hunt another 200 acres that connects to mine, I can count on one hand the number of does that has been taken since 2007. I have deer sanctuary‘s that we don’t ever go into to give deer a safe zone, I have put out food plots and try to manage the land the best I can but still the last few years the deer sightings are way down.
I don’t know if any other parts of the State are having the same experience that me and some friends of mine are having in parts of Jefferson county are having. I don’t know what the answer is but I hope it gets better, not for me but for my grandkids and the next generation of hunters coming in behind me.

 

[buckwacker]

Farmers by me gut shoot them so they run out of the field and die.

If they're the same ones that won't give hunting permision to anyone, they should have the book thrown at them if they get caught.

 

[spencer rifle]

Sighting in the new deer rifle- a Tikka T3x in .308 with a Vortex Crossfire II scope. 8 shots at 50 yards leaning on elbows:

 

[cg21]

Sighting in the new deer rifle- a Tikka T3x in .308 with a Vortex Crossfire II scope. 8 shots at 50 yards leaning on elbows:
View attachment 218219

I need to get my 100yd range up I hate having to sight my rifles in at 50

 

[Michigan Slim]

I made this today. Need the pieces for the roof and it ready. All four side are held by three screws each so I can disassemble it to take it to my spot. The posts are ready so I can raise it four feet to see over a little rise better.

 

[DragonGunner]

All I’ve got on my cameras are doe. 5 in one shot this week!

That’s actually good….. does will bring in the bucks during the rut.

 

[BJHay]

The DNR has to make money if you want professional biologists to manage game populations, and especially white-tail deer. Personally, I do. It`s not an easy task. The problem usually begins either when hunters think they know better than the wildlife biologists, and/or, when politicians butt in and apply non-scientific, politically expedient "fixes" that aren`t necessary.

I ran into the state biologist for white tails at an event a couple years ago. Nice guy and he talked candidly about how easy his job would be if he was managing the heard for hunting. Crop damage and the number of deer-car accidents play into the pressures on him to adjust the heard.

 

[BJHay]

Looks no bonus antlerless season again this year. Most county’s quotas look to be 2.

I'm sure it affects some negatively but for my property I'm happy to hear it. I'm told the western side of Montgomery country has a strong deer population but I have 100 acres on the east side. The deer population was never been strong and has been declining over the past 20 years. We have good cover, water and forage yet we may only have one or two shot opportunities for the entire season.

 

[snapping turtle]

Back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s seeing a deer was exciting during season. We only shot bucks. No doe tags.

By the 1990’s I could take a buck in bow season and a buck in firearms season pretty easy. They changed that up pretty quick. I was able to trophy hunt firearm season. Let the bucks I would have taken live to grow.

I can get a buck in firearm season pretty easy now. I still hold out on filling the tag early and have had to eat tag soup a couple years because I let a buck walk to get larger.

Last year was the first year since 1976 (11 year old hunter) I did not purchase a deer tag at all. Work was interfering with my lifestyle and I may not hunt them this year either.

I still see deer on the family farm a very nice place to hunt. If I take one this year it will be on my property with a landowner tag. I can take the dog out most morning (3-7) and get snorted at by deer.

As for the reduction in the tags available I am no expert. I am seeing less deer overall at night driving and dead along roadways but not extensively so.

 

[singlestacksig]

Press release: Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) confirmed in Franklin County deer – The Bloomingtonian

bloomingtonian.com

 

[cg21]

Will deer typically be in the radishes early season?

 

[Michigan Slim]

Will deer typically be in the radishes early season?

When I grew them they hammered the greens early and then after the first hard frost. Late season they were digging up the ground.

 

[two70]

Will deer typically be in the radishes early season?

It depends on what if any better food sources are available at the same time.

 

[Michigan Slim]

It depends on what if any better food sources are available at the same time.

When the acorns drop, that's where you need to be.