NRC approves 2015 U.P. antlerless restrictions
Michigan Natural Resources Commission today decided to eliminate the
harvest of antlerless deer during the archery season for hunters using
deer or deer combo licenses in the Upper Peninsula.
The
restriction, which does not affect the firearm deer season, will be in
effect for the 2015-2016 season. The NRC made the decision at its
monthly meeting in Monroe, Michigan, in an effort to aid the Upper
Peninsula’s struggling deer population, which has declined to a level
comparable to the early 1980s following three successive winters with
severe conditions.
There have been roughly 5,000 to 6,300 antlerless deer harvested in the U.P. by archers over each of the past four years.
Although
deer regulations currently are on a three-year cycle, elements such as
weather and disease can cause regulations to be reviewed mid-cycle and
adjusted when appropriate.
“The
NRC asked the DNR Wildlife Division to present options to address the
decline in deer in the U.P. and associated concerns by hunters,” said
DNR deer management specialist Chad Stewart. “In May we brought forward
six possible options, and the NRC chose to concentrate on two of those
options.”
The
NRC’s decision makes deer and deer combo licenses used in the archery
season “buck-only” licenses. The other option considered by the NRC was
to maintain the current regulations.
“Deer
hunting is an important tradition in Michigan’s U.P. and a big economic
driver for the entire state,” said Natural Resources Commission Chair
John Matonich. “This decision by the NRC will ensure that tradition
continues while also providing prudent protections for the U.P. deer
population.”
The
winter of 2014-2015 brought significant snowfall before the start of
the firearm season, which persisted to depths of 20-30 inches across
much of the region.
Additionally, temperatures of -10 to -20 degrees
arrived in February, further stressing animals that had limited mobility
because of the deep snow.
These
latest wintry conditions followed the winters of 2012-2013 and
2013-2014, which were extremely hard on the U.P. deer population.
The
DNR Wildlife Division polled neighboring states on their recent and
future deer seasons, and found those states also are reducing antlerless
quotas or opportunities to take antlerless deer during specific
seasons.
“We
will be working to communicate this information to all who hunt in the
Upper Peninsula,” Stewart said. “We’ll need to make sure hunters
everywhere are aware of the change because once they cross the Mackinac
Bridge the rules for their 2015 deer licenses will change.”
Antlerless
harvest still will be permitted through the allotment of private-land
antlerless licenses in deer management units where it was decided that
antlerless harvest should be maintained. This includes DMUs 055, 122 and
155.
Deer
and deer combo licenses can be returned for a refund and new licenses
could be purchased prior to the start of the deer seasons. After Sept.
20, the licenses are considered “used” and cannot be returned.
To learn
more about the process for returning licenses, contact DNR licensing
staff at 517-284-6047 or MDNR-E-License@michigan.gov.
For more information on hunting seasons and regulations, visit: www.michigan.gov/hunting.
