Where are the Deer in Lower Half of MI?

MIOutdoorsman · Dec 11, 2017

This one's for the guys living in Michigan.

I'm new to the state, but my brother and I are both experienced hunters and know a thing or two about deer. I moved to MI last year and invited my brother in (from PA) to try our luck for MI deer.

We went out with the smokesticks looking for buck this past weekend (Friday & Saturday). I live near Ann Arbor, so we decided to check out the Sharonville State Game area, since that's close by, and I'm familiar with their shooting range there.

The woods there look nice. There are plenty of pull-off parking spots, a mix of terrain, some feeding grounds (corn and other fields), lots of cover. We saw a couple of trucks here and there, so I know at least SOME guys were in the woods, albeit not very many guys this time of year.

My brother and I saw VERY LITTLE evidence of deer. In two days of pretty heavy hunting, including walking and sitting, he saw one small doe, and I saw none. We didn't see much in the way of tracks, rubs, or deer poop--all things that we normally see during hunts even if the deer themselves are bedded down. The tracks we did see were very small--yearlings for sure.

The weather was perfect too--nice cover of white and cold temps. I feel like we should have seen more deer for sure. I'm not complaining guys--just trying to figure out if we were just unlucky, or if it's a small population in the lower half.

So guys--where are all the deer in Michigan?

I know that they do not allow doe hunting in the lower half of the state... is the population down here really suffering? Or did we just have an unlucky couple of days.

Ames · Dec 11, 2017

I have never been there, but I suspect your answer lies in the comment of plenty of pull off parking spaces. :idunno:
See if you can find an area with NO parking spaces and walk in a couple of miles from where you can park. A lot of guys just wont put in the effort to get back into those areas.

Silky921 · Dec 11, 2017

Use to live not too far from that area across the border. For one, MI has a ton of hunters from what I've seen and heard. Two, I'm pretty sure they were hit bad with EHD I think, either last year or the year before.

No Deer · Dec 12, 2017

TXFlynHog said:
This one's for the guys living in Michigan.

I'm new to the state, but my brother and I are both experienced hunters and know a thing or two about deer. I moved to MI last year and invited my brother in (from PA) to try our luck for MI deer.

We went out with the smokesticks looking for buck this past weekend (Friday & Saturday). I live near Ann Arbor, so we decided to check out the Sharonville State Game area, since that's close by, and I'm familiar with their shooting range there.

The woods there look nice. There are plenty of pull-off parking spots, a mix of terrain, some feeding grounds (corn and other fields), lots of cover. We saw a couple of trucks here and there, so I know at least SOME guys were in the woods, albeit not very many guys this time of year.

My brother and I saw VERY LITTLE evidence of deer. In two days of pretty heavy hunting, including walking and sitting, he saw one small doe, and I saw none. We didn't see much in the way of tracks, rubs, or deer poop--all things that we normally see during hunts even if the deer themselves are bedded down. The tracks we did see were very small--yearlings for sure.

The weather was perfect too--nice cover of white and cold temps. I feel like we should have seen more deer for sure. I'm not complaining guys--just trying to figure out if we were just unlucky, or if it's a small population in the lower half.

So guys--where are all the deer in Michigan?

I know that they do not allow doe hunting in the lower half of the state... is the population down here really suffering? Or did we just have an unlucky couple of days.

Well, I live near Lansing, and we are seeing plenty of deer, not as many as say 10 years ago, but still enough for us to fill our tags. They do seem to be nocturnal, so it is more difficult to find them.

Where did you get the information that you can not shoot does in lower Michigan? That is almost all we shoot, we are grocery shopping, not horn hunting, so we shoot does mostly (taste better and more tender than bucks). Just checked the state regs and see nothing there about not shooting does in lower, or anywhere for that matter, Michigan, depending on the license you purchase.
www.michigan.gov./documents/dnr/hunting_and_trapping_digest_461177_7.pdf

If you are hunting public land, you may have a much more difficult time seeing deer due to the hunting pressure. If you can you should try to find some private land to hunt on. In our area there is a lot less pressure this year than in past. Most of the farm land around us was sold this past summer, and the new owners have leased the land for hunting, but seems to be less hunters than in the past.

Good luck, I hope you are able to find a good place to hunt.

Ron LaClair · Dec 12, 2017

When they legalized crossbows for everyone into the long archery season, a season which was created by the way back before compounds for the traditional bow hunters, the Michigan deer herd has been gradually dwindling.

With two buck tags and unlimited antlerless permits it's only a matter of time before the insurance company's and the Farm Bureau get their wish of no deer in Michigan.

Crossbow efficiency is increasing. They have one now that they claim will shoot 3" groups at 100 yards....that's gun accuracy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdPeukkkDU8

Spikebuck · Dec 12, 2017

NWTF Longhunter said:
When they legalized crossbows for everyone into the long archery season, a season which was created by the way back before compounds for the traditional bow hunters, the Michigan deer herd has been gradually dwindling.

Minnesota is quickly going the same route.

We've always had a rule that if a person was disabled and certified by a doctor to not be able to shoot a normal bow, they could get a crossbow permit. Starting last year, it went to anyone 60+. Next it will be everyone.

Same happening with muzzleloaders. No Scopes in the Muzzleloader only late season unless some particular vision issues, and then could still only use a no-power scope. Many screamed and after years of battles, it went to an age limit....65 I think. That only stayed in place one year and now everyone can put scopes on them. With the new unmentionables, that makes them a single-shot 250+ yard rifle.

Our DNR's position is that they can manage to any "social" situation...of course that means cutting opportunity when harvest gets to be too much.

The fact is that many people that don't want to work as hard at it still want all the time in the woods as people that are willing to do it the hard way and they whine and scream until they get it.

MIOutdoorsman · Dec 20, 2017

No Deer said:
TXFlynHog said:

This one's for the guys living in Michigan.

I'm new to the state, but my brother and I are both experienced hunters and know a thing or two about deer. I moved to MI last year and invited my brother in (from PA) to try our luck for MI deer.

We went out with the smokesticks looking for buck this past weekend (Friday & Saturday). I live near Ann Arbor, so we decided to check out the Sharonville State Game area, since that's close by, and I'm familiar with their shooting range there.

The woods there look nice. There are plenty of pull-off parking spots, a mix of terrain, some feeding grounds (corn and other fields), lots of cover. We saw a couple of trucks here and there, so I know at least SOME guys were in the woods, albeit not very many guys this time of year.

My brother and I saw VERY LITTLE evidence of deer. In two days of pretty heavy hunting, including walking and sitting, he saw one small doe, and I saw none. We didn't see much in the way of tracks, rubs, or deer poop--all things that we normally see during hunts even if the deer themselves are bedded down. The tracks we did see were very small--yearlings for sure.

The weather was perfect too--nice cover of white and cold temps. I feel like we should have seen more deer for sure. I'm not complaining guys--just trying to figure out if we were just unlucky, or if it's a small population in the lower half.

So guys--where are all the deer in Michigan?

I know that they do not allow doe hunting in the lower half of the state... is the population down here really suffering? Or did we just have an unlucky couple of days.

Click to expand...

Well, I live near Lansing, and we are seeing plenty of deer, not as many as say 10 years ago, but still enough for us to fill our tags. They do seem to be nocturnal, so it is more difficult to find them.

Where did you get the information that you can not shoot does in lower Michigan? That is almost all we shoot, we are grocery shopping, not horn hunting, so we shoot does mostly (taste better and more tender than bucks). Just checked the state regs and see nothing there about not shooting does in lower, or anywhere for that matter, Michigan, depending on the license you purchase.
www.michigan.gov./documents/dnr/hunting_and_trapping_digest_461177_7.pdf

If you are hunting public land, you may have a much more difficult time seeing deer due to the hunting pressure. If you can you should try to find some private land to hunt on. In our area there is a lot less pressure this year than in past. Most of the farm land around us was sold this past summer, and the new owners have leased the land for hunting, but seems to be less hunters than in the past.

Good luck, I hope you are able to find a good place to hunt.

Thanks for your reply. My read of Page 32 of the Michigan DNR (same link that you provided) is that anywhere in the tan-colored part of the state (i.e. the lower half +) you cannot shoot doe by muzzleloader or rifle--only during archery. Am I missreading that? :idunno:

Either way--we saw neither buck nor doe, and it was quite a disappointment. I read somewhere that last year's harvest in MI was second only to Texas, so we had high hopes of at least seeing some walking venison!

MIOutdoorsman · Dec 20, 2017

NWTF Longhunter said:
When they legalized crossbows for everyone into the long archery season, a season which was created by the way back before compounds for the traditional bow hunters, the Michigan deer herd has been gradually dwindling.

With two buck tags and unlimited antlerless permits it's only a matter of time before the insurance company's and the Farm Bureau get their wish of no deer in Michigan.

Crossbow efficiency is increasing. They have one now that they claim will shoot 3" groups at 100 yards....that's gun accuracy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdPeukkkDU8[/quote]

That's unfortunate, indeed. Doesn't leave much standing by the time muzzleloader season comes around. :td:

MIOutdoorsman · Dec 20, 2017

Ames said:
I have never been there, but I suspect your answer lies in the comment of plenty of pull off parking spaces. :idunno:
See if you can find an area with NO parking spaces and walk in a couple of miles from where you can park. A lot of guys just wont put in the effort to get back into those areas.

I'm a little intimidated just walking off into foreign woods unless I know the landowner, and being new to the State, we don't know very many folks, nor are we likely to meet many who have acreage.

Do MI hunters do that much... just walk on people's land and hunt?

Ames · Dec 21, 2017

Sorry. I meant that to read hunting the same land you were targeting, just get away from the easy access parking. Parking = foot traffic = spooked game.

No Deer · Dec 22, 2017

Thanks for your reply. My read of Page 32 of the Michigan DNR (same link that you provided) is that anywhere in the tan-colored part of the state (i.e. the lower half +) you cannot shoot doe by muzzleloader or rifle--only during archery. Am I missreading that? :idunno:

Either way--we saw neither buck nor doe, and it was quite a disappointment. I read somewhere that last year's harvest in MI was second only to Texas, so we had high hopes of at least seeing some walking venison!

I think you are misreading the chart. The tan area is just DMU 117, located on the east tip of the UP. The lower half, and some of the upper half of the lower peninsula, is the pink zone, and antlerless deer are legal. The lower half (below the blue line) is a limited firearm zone, with some exceptions.

As far as going on someone else's property without permission...DON'T. That is considered trespassing. Recreational trespass is not allowed in Michigan. I know in my area (and from what I have heard and read, the rest of the state also) people are very possessive of their property and very rarely will give out permission for someone to go on their land, unless they know you real well.

Here is another site that you may find useful. It is free, but you have to sign up.
https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/

Zonie · Dec 22, 2017

According to this link, 40 % of Michigan's area is publicly owned or open to public use.

I don't know about Michigan but in Arizona, all of the National Forests are open to hunting. No permission needed.

Here's a link that might help

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-30301_68515---,00.html

No Deer · Dec 23, 2017

You are correct. I don't know the percentage, but there is a lot of state land that is open, including national forest land. I was referring to his comment on going onto private land without permission.
The problem with state land here in Michigan is that it is usually crowded. I have never hunted state land here in Mi. as I have been fortunate to have friends with property ever since I moved here. A friend told me that he used to hunt state land, but gave up quite a few years ago. He said that he would go out to "his spot" before light. As it started to get light, if he looked around it looked like a pumpkin patch with all the orange scattered around the woods.

azmntman · Dec 23, 2017

Well from my experience here in AZ 90% of us are too lazy and/or fat and lazy to get out of the car and HUNT. I find that sitting a canyon, draw, trail or water hole thats at least 100 yds from the road is pretty productive. I hunted elk on our San Fran Peaks about 4 years back on a wilderness trail and saw 3 people, two very very very very attractive hikers and a nice looking lady volunteer ranger? Had to quarter and hike out a fat cow a mile but geez...lotta game off the road!

For every truck parked on the road you'll see 20-30 road hunters hoping the real hunters run something across the road :shake: :td: :barf:

There was one hunt on the res I got a doe tag for bout 12 years ago like that you mention in MI, I was stopped on the way in by a Navajo G&F office to check my tag...asked him where to hunt, he "lip pointed" (it's a Navajo thing :haha: ) and said, there trots one, sure enough a fat doe walked across the road 20 yds away. Wasn't gonna shoot her at that time but as I got to where I planned to glass a bit in an unfamiliar area I need no glasses to see about 70 hunter walking all over a valley and heard like 20 shots a min. I climbed a short hill to the back side and sat down and tried to unscrew my canteen for a swaller and was interrupted by a fat doe walking by 30 yds away. 175 miles to the hunt zone and I left home at 2:30 AM and was back at 2:30 PM :grin: I wont ever do it again, VERY unsafe with that ratio of hunters to the small area. Appears they were over run with deer, lettin a white guy buy a tag for $25.00. All the hunters though were afield as the road was insane rough, nobody would road hunt there!

JKushner · Dec 30, 2017

Welcome to Michigan. Have lived and hunted here all my life. Mainly in the northern lower but have hunted mid-Mi also.
Don't be to discouraged by your first outing. There are a lot of deer in the state and there are a lot of hunters. I would suggest trying to talk to the DNR in your area and preferably a CO as these are the guys who are outside checking hunters. I have had some good tips from CO's about where the deer numbers look good and the hunting pressure is low.
Yes, the muzzleloading season is late and there has been a lot of bow hunters and gun ahead of you but a lot of nice deer are taken from State owned land every year, keep looking and talking to people, you will find a spot. Good luck.

RUDY MR · Jan 2, 2018

Your best bet for hunting is west of 75 and in the thumb. That said Get a State land book or map of Mi. I have hunted from bath to the U. P. On 65 there a lot of US forest land Good Luck and Welcome to MI

ff

Jaeger · Jan 2, 2018

I've noticed a lack of deer in the last couple of years, TX, and I've lived in Michigan all my life and hunted for many of those years. My buddy and I have seen very few deer in the last couple of seasons. Reading the above comments, I've seen a number of things that ring true to me: Increased deer kills with bow hunting, and with crossbows...and I suspect we've lost more deer than we realize to EHD. Now we've got CWD spreading, but I don't think that has really seriously dented the deer population yet. Also, I notice that you can get hunting tags that allow you to kill 2, 3, 4 deer, which just seems piggish to me. The funny thing is, we see PLENTY of deer in the suburbs around Detroit, and I never saw that growing up around here! One telltale thing that I notice this year is that I don't see as many deer out in fields in rural areas while driving around. They used to be pretty easy to spot on any given day, especially on a snowy field.

No Deer · Jan 3, 2018

General reply:
The Michigan deer season officially ended Monday evening. I looked out my back door just after legal shooting time ended.... saw 20 deer lounging in the field :doh:

:rotf:

Zonie · Jan 3, 2018

Just because deer are dumb (can't speak) doesn't mean their stupid.

They know when it's safe to come out of the woods. :rotf:

MIOutdoorsman · Feb 1, 2018

THE SAVAGE said:
Your best bet for hunting is west of 75 and in the thumb. That said Get a State land book or map of Mi. I have hunted from bath to the U. P. On 65 there a lot of US forest land Good Luck and Welcome to MI ff

Did you mean EAST of 75 and in the thumb? Because West of 75 and in the thumb is essentially the whole lower part of the state?

Where are the Deer in Lower Half of MI?

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