I wrote a post awhile back, about some proposed changes that the Michigan DNR was thinking of doing, in order to keep the deer population in check here in Southern Lower Michigan. Those changes just officially became a reality and honestly I am pretty pleased with the results.

As I said in the previous post, the DNR originally proposed a late October firearm season for antlerless deer. After hearing some feedback about that, they came up with an option B, that involved a late September anterless firearm season. Both of these options were put up for discussion at the latest NRC (Natural Resources Commission) meeting, and the NRC members approved the Option B choice.

So, what that means for us Southern Lower Michigan hunters, as well as our hunters in a few northern counties that have a TB problem, is that there will be an early anterless firearm season starting the last Thursday in September and running for 5 days.

I honestly have no problems with this hunt. The deer numbers are out of control in the southern part of the state, and something definitely needs to be done in order to control the deer population around here. I think having this early season hunt in September provides hunters a chance to thin the doe herd quite a bit, which will hopefully make the rut much better this season. With fewer does, there will be more competition between bucks, and it could make things quite interesting come late October, early November.

The NRC also approved an increase in the number of anterless permits allowed. They will increase from 3 per hunter last year to 5 per hunter this year.

Hopefully the implementation of both of these things will help the deer numbers in southern lower Michigan and help to control the TB problem in some of the northern counties in the state.

I’m planning to do my part. That is for sure.

Authors note: If any of you would like to read the official press release from the DNR you can go here.

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